Pri(n)ce of Power
by FEProject.html
Summary: Robin grew up as a prince in Plegia, but loses his memories. Lucina is a girl sent back from the future in order to change the fate of the world. Robin doesn't have many memories of his past, while Lucina is struggling to deal with too many memories she's brought back from the future. Starts rather slow. Inspired by Cold Tea by dualbloodlines. Robin x Lucina
1. In the beginning

**Author's Notes:**

**I must confess, I've never been all that good at creative writing. However, I've been creating the plot for this story for a while now, and decided that I'm actually going to write it down. The first several chapters/first arc is probably not going to be that different from a 'typical' FE Awakening story, but as the story progresses, I have plans for things to become… unique… we'll say. I'm not sure what the upload schedule will be like, because real life always takes precedence.**

**Edit: To those of you that may be new readers of my story, I know that the first few chapters are significantly worse than some of the later chapters. In fact, many of the later chapters are three or even four times longer than this chapter and, in my opinion, are much more interesting. I guess what I'm trying to say is, even if you dislike the first several (shorter) chapters, it is still possible for you to end up enjoying the story if you give it a chance. Thank you everyone.**

**Plegian Royal Palace**

A tall, robed sorcerer leisurely walked through the dimly lit halls of the Plegian royal castle, slowly but surely making his way towards the throne room. In his arms lay a newborn child, completely wrapped up with purple colored cloth, stained with several patches of dark red. The baby was sound asleep, blissfully unaware of everything that had transpired that day. As the sorcerer walked by, the nearby guards all stood at attention, waiting for him to pass by before breathing a sigh of relief and resuming their more casual resting positions.

Finally, the sorcerer entered the throne room. It was a large room that was only dimly lit by the torches upon the walls. At the center of the room was a large throne that had a long set of stairs leading up to it. Upon the throne sat a trickster with reddish-brown hair. The trickster lazily leaned on the left arm of the throne, propping his head up with the palm of his left hand. His gaze focused on his right hand, and was busy examining his long nails until the sorcerer entered his field of vision.

The sorcerer knelt before the throne. "You called, your majesty?" He growled in a deep voice. "Ah, my dear brother, how did your hunt go?" came the instant reply. The sorcerer gave a menacing grin and held the child up, as if presenting it to his king. Seeing this, the trickster got up off his throne and walked over to his brother. He ripped the cloth covering the infant's head, which revealed a mop of messy, white hair underneath. This however, disturbed the child's sleep, and caused him to begin to cry.

Seeing this, the trickster smiled and took the crying child from the sorcerer. He took the baby and began to walk back towards the throne. "And what of the mother?" he asked, as he inspected the stained red areas on the cloth. "Although, I can already guess".

"You need not worry milord. She has been properly…. disposed of." came the reply. Hearing this, the trickster began to cackle as he sat back on the throne. "Oh how wonderful. You will grow up here as a Plegian prince, and you will become the savior of our people. One day, you will finish what I will begin, and raze the halidom of Ylisse and return to them tenfold what their precious Exalt has done to us. You will become the symbol of our people, and you will become our Fire Emblem. Validar, bring it to me.

Hearing this, the sorcerer got up and left the throne room. A few minutes later, he returned with a scythe in his hands. It had a black handle, and at the head of the weapon, where the blade connected to the handle was a the model of a dragon's skull. The blade was of a pure black metal, and protruded from the dragon's open mouth. A sharp spearhead made out of the same black metal protruded from the dragon's skull, on the same axis as the handle. Validar walked up to the throne and knelt before the trickster, once again, presenting the coveted item to his liege.

The trickster waved his hand, and an attendant immediately went to go retrieve the weapon. Once the weapon was brought to him, the trickster instructed the attendant to prick the child's right hand with the tip of the scythe, and when he did, the six eyes of the dragon's skull and the edges of the blade began to glow blood red. For a second, time seemed to stop as energy seeped out of the scythe and into the baby, eventually forming a purple, six eyed symbol on the back of the child's right hand. Feeling the pain of the prick, the baby began to cry once again.

Seeing this, the trickster began to cackle again. "Oh his blood indeed is pure, the weapon has chosen its future owner!" The sorcerer, Validar returned a menacing grin. "Yes, your highness."

The trickster gingerly caressed the infant's cheeks. The baby's crying never stopped.

**17 years later**

"Robin? Where are you Robin?" a female Plegian dark mage shouted as she ran through the castle corridors. She came to a stop right outside a room where another male dark mage with white hair was standing. "You really ought to be more quiet Tharja. The prince is in the middle of studying battle tactics. Even I'm not allowed to see him. You know how it is, he's the prince, and he's expected to be able to command our army to victory when we declare war on Ylisse, so lately, he's been studying EXTRA hard."

The female mage rolled her eyes. "He's been in there reading for the past eight hours. I tried to bring him lunch earlier and he still wouldn't let me in. It's already well into the afternoon" Tharja began to pout.

Noticing this, Henry began to laugh. "Nya ha! It's so obvious you've got a thing for him. I didn't even have to talk to my crows to figure that one out. Is Tharja upset that prince Robin is choosing his books over her?" he teased.

Tharja immediately covered her face to hide her blush. "It's not that obvious is it?" she whispered. "Nya ha, I've known for the past two years, but honestly, anyone with half a brain who paid attention would notice. The size of your crush is as big as Plegia itself!"

Henry suddenly made a serious face. "Fortunately for you, not many people in the palace fulfill both those categories. Robin is always more focused on books and politics to notice, and, well as for everyone else, methinks saying they have half a brain is a bit too generous."

Although her cheeks still contained a shade of pink, Tharja rolled her eyes again. "Everyone knows you're a child genius Henry, not everyone can be as smart as you, y'know." Henry shrugged in indifference. "I'm just sayin' it like it is."

Suddenly something occurred to her. "Wait a minute Henry, how long have you been waiting for him? Aren't you supposed to be training with the rest of the male mages?"

"Nya ha! I've been standing here for the past two hours now. But it's fine really, no one really cares if I miss a training session or two. In fact, the rest of them will really need a few extra sessions to even hope to keep up with me. And besides, they always complain that I go way too far when we spar with each other. No blood they say, but I say that takes all the fun out of it."

Suddenly, Henry furrowed his eyebrows, and his previously carefree and happy expression turned into a frown. "And who are you to judge me? You miss more training than I do!"

Tharja sighed in defeat. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But I can't help it. The training is just so… so… so easy!" The female mage shook her hands in front of her face as to make a point.

"Nya ha!" Henry giggled. "Everyone knows you're a child genius Tharja." He said in his best impression of her.

Then Henry tilted his head, as if in deep thought. Then his cheerful expression instantly came back. "Nya ha! I suppose that's why they chose us to be his retainers. We're two of the strongest mages here, so they know we will have his back if he ever is in danger."

"Maybe. But he's still stronger than the both of us combined." Tharja replied dreamily.

Henry held up a finger to interject. "Both of us combined, times ten." He corrected. "And that's if he decides not to use that scythe of his. What was it called again? Nag-ripper? Nap-reaper? Something about reaping souls… now what was it?"

Tharja sighed in defeat. She was just about to correct him, when the doors of the room suddenly opened. "Naglrath, the harvester of souls." Robin corrected. "Honestly, I can't remember how many times I've already had to tell you."

"R-robin!" Tharja squeaked in surprise, before composing herself. "Finished with your studies, Robin?" This earned a nod of agreement from the Plegian prince.

"Hooray! Now let's go play~ay!" exclaimed Henry in a sing-song voice. Robin, however, held up his hand to interject.

"I have to go visit a settlement on the border today. They were unable to pay taxes again this year, so King Gangrel wants me to go… discipline them." Henry's face fell. "Awwww…" he complained.

"So if you're going, then we should be as well right?" Tharja inquired. To her dismay, Robin shook his head. "No, Gangrel wants me to go by myself. He says if I cannot defeat the town's militia by myself, I have no chance against the armies of Ylisse."

"We could still go with you, just in case. It's not like we were doing anything otherwise." Henry offered, only to receive another head shake from Robin. "No, you two will remain here. This is something I need to do by myself. And besides, you two know better than anyone else. No ordinary militia is of any threat to me." "But-" Tharja began I'll be worried about you going by yourself she wanted to say. "No buts Tharja. I'll go by myself, and you two will be good little retainers are stay here like you're told. I'll bring you back a souvenir Henry, and Tharja… well I'll take you to dinner. If everything goes well, I should definitely be back by then." He finished his sentence with a grin. This lead to a cheer from Henry, and an embarrassed look from Tharja as she tried, unsuccessfully to hide her blush. "Promise?" she whispered. "Yeah." Robin replied, giving her a genuine smile. "I'm going to hold you accountable to that, Robin." she muttered to herself.

"So what is your plan when you get there?" Henry asked out of curiosity. Robin frowned and tilted his head. "I honestly haven't thought that far yet. What Gangrel probably wants me to do is kill a few of the settlement leaders, as well as anyone who picks up arms against me. After all, ruling with power is basically his motto."

Seeing as Henry did not seem satisfied with his answer, Robin patted him on the back. "I'll have plenty of time to figure out my strategy on the way there. Come, I must get going."

As Robin walked towards the stables with Henry and Tharja following closely behind, they ran into a large bald man with a great beard. "Ah, why if it isn't young Robin!" The general exclaimed. "Heading off for Olaenia?" "Yep" came the reply. "You know how my uncle is, he needs a steady stream of taxes in order to prepare for war. I must go make an example of them, regardless of if I like it or not." Robin shrugged his shoulders.

The general stroked his beard in thought. "Well, I don't think it'll pose much of a challenge for you. I know full well how deadly your skills with a scythe are. And that's no ordinary garden tool you have in your possession either." Robin scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, I learned everything from you, general Mustafa. You were a great teacher." All this got from Mustafa was a chuckle. The great general placed his hand on Robin's shoulder. "You don't give yourself enough credit my prince. All I did was teach you how to fight with an axe. You were the one that applied that knowledge and refined it for fighting with a scythe. Hell, I'd wager my life savings that there is no one on the continent that can match your skill with a scythe. I know you'll do great things. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go oversee the training of some new recruits."

And with that, they went their separate ways and Robin and his two retainers continued to the stable. Once there, the three saddled up and began to ride to the North-Western city gate. As they rode through the city, the citizens stopped what they were doing to gaze in wonder at the prince when he passed by. Upon arrival at the gate, Robin says a final goodbye to his retainers, before beginning to ride away.

As Robin rode off towards the border, Henry and Tharja stood near the city gate to see him off. Robin turned around, smiled and waved at them once more, a gesture that was returned by the two retainers. Henry enthusiastically cheered the prince on as he waved both his hands hecticly. Tharja, on the other hand, gets hit by a wave of nostalgia. She bites her lip, thinking back to a time nearly a decade ago.

**Flashback, 10 years ago, in the capital city of Plegia**

Tharja was extremely hungry. Starving even. She hadn't had anything to eat since her parents abandoned her several days ago. All she could do was wander the streets, begging for merchants to give her a bite to eat. However, giving food to a starving 7 year old reaped no benefits, and so the merchants in the area, many of which were struggling themselves, refused to spare anything for the hungry child.

Tharja was ready to give up. She found a corner and rested her head on her knees. She was ready to accept death… that is, until a startling voice interrupted her.

"One loaf of bread please." Tharja looked up. A young boy dressed in a purple cloak said as he handed the baker a coin. He then proceeded to walk in Tharja's direction. He eventually stopped right in front of her, and knelt down besides her.

"Here. I saw you begging for food earlier. You must be very hungry. This is for you." The boy declared. Tharja eyed him in disbelief, before she snatched the bread and began to wolf it down. The boy waited patiently for her to finish, before handing her a bag full of coins.

"This is a gift from me. If you use it slowly, it can last you for a few weeks." Tharja once again, was dumbfounded. "B-but, this is yours, won't your parents be angry if you gave it to m-me?" The boy smiled and stuck his thumb to his chest. "Don't worry. My name is Robin, and I'm a prince." he declared with a large smile, which earned him multiple stares as the people close enough to hear him began to whisper amongst themselves. Hearing this, Tharja began to tear up. "O-ok… Thanks-Thank you so much!" The boy, Robin, patted her head gingerly. "I must get going now, I have to go practice my tomefaire or else father and uncle will be very angry." "T-tomefaire?" Tharja asked. Robin smiled again. "Yeah! Practice magic! Just like the mages that work for uncle! I'm gonna be the best mage in all of Plegia!"

As Robin got up and walked away, he turned around to give Tharja one last smile and a wave, a memory that is forever branded into her mind. It was at that moment that Tharja began to develop a serious crush on Robin, a feeling that only got stronger as time passed.

Severely interested by Robin, young Tharja eventually bought a basic flux tome with the money he gave her. Fortunately, her parents had taught her how to read, and with Tharja's incredible intelligence, she was able to learn to cast flux effortlessly. A few days later, Tharja's talent for magic was discovered by a traveling dark mage, and she quickly found herself in an apprenticeship. After traveling and learning with that mentor for nearly 5 years, the child genius surpassed her teacher and was able to join the Plegian military at just 12 years old.

Once she began training at the castle courtyards, she made it her mission to find out more about Robin. To her delight Robin was indeed a Plegian prince, and the fact that he remembered her was more than she could ever hope for. Within a year, Tharja found herself with the job of being Robin's retainer, which meant that she could spend more time with him than almost anyone in the royal palace. In short, the past 4-5 years were the happiest ones of her life, which were only made possible by the kind actions of Robin nearly a decade ago.

**End of Flashback**

**Settlement of Olaenia, on the border of Plegia and Ylisse**

The settlement of Olaenia is located in an unfortunate place. A large group of hills separates them from the rest of Plegia, making it extraordinarily difficult for caravans to traverse. The only roads that lead into town crosses over momentarily into the halidom of Ylisse. For this reason, the area in question has been a severely heated topic in Ylissean and Plegian politics, both of them believing that the land belonged to them. Robin, believing there was no reason to be concerned about this detail, rode along this road to get to Olaenia in order to have a better chance of fulfilling his promise to Tharja.

As Robin rode on, he suddenly noticed an ominous figure standing by the rode, dressed in a robe extremely similar to the one he was currently wearing. As he got closer, he realized the figure's face was covered by his hood. The man beckoned Robin closer.

Robin approached the man warily, not knowing what to expect. "Can I help you sir?" he asked politely. The man began to laugh. "Yes, yes you can!" Robin froze. The man sounded exactly like him. "Who-?" he began. Before he could finish his sentence, the man removed his hood, revealing a face that matches Robin's, further surprising the Plegian prince.

As Robin was frozen in shock, the mysterious man pulled him off his horse. Robin hit the ground with a loud 'THUD'. Before Robin realized what had happened, the man proceeded to wrap his two hands against Robin's skull, which gave off blackish, purple electric shocks. At first, Robin felt jolts of pain through his head, but after a few seconds, fell unconscious.

The man stood up. "Hmph. So the Robin of the past is still too weak. Nevermind that. I suppose I'll lay low for a while, until the time is ripe." With that, he got on Robin's horse and began to ride towards Olaenia himself.

The real Robin was left on the side of the rode, completely unconscious.

**Robin: Age: 18**

**Class: Warlock (scythes and tomes)**

**Henry: Age: 18**

**Class: Dark Mage**

**Tharja: Age: 17**

**Class: Dark Mage**


	2. Ties that bind the Verge of History

**Author's Note:**

**Although I do spell check my work and try to be thorough in not making mistakes, I am (like most of you I presume) human which means I'm prone to error. If you see some mistake, don't be hesitant to inform me of it, and I will try to do my best to fix it as soon as possible. Also, if you have a question, I'll try my best to answer it, provided it doesn't spoil too much of my story. That's enough of talking though, please enjoy my second chapter.**

**Unknown Location**

Robin wakes up to a fight between a blue haired swordsman and a familiar looking sorcerer. The sorcerer held a dark tome in his hands that Robin had never seen before. The swordsman slashed and sliced at the sorcerer, but said sorcerer fought back, with a blade of dark energy in his non-tome hand. 'It must be that strange tome he's carrying that allows him to fight on even footing at close range with a swordsman' Robin concluded.

As the fight progressed, eventually the sorcerer found an opening and knocked the swordsman into a nearby wall. "Chrom!" Robin shouted, which was strange because he knew he had never met this man before. Yet for whatever reason, his name came off of Robin's tongue effortlessly, with complete confidence and without a second thought.

The man in question, Chrom, proceeded to get up from the rubble and lean on his sword. The sorcerer threw a bolt of dark energy towards him, but Robin intercepted it and slashed through it with his scythe. The sorcerer looks at Robin with a look of pure scorn.

Warily getting up on his feet, Chrom slowly makes his way to Robin's side. "This is it. Our final battle. You're one of us Robin, and no _destiny _can change that. Now lets kill this dastard and be done with it!"

Chrom drew his sword, and Robin readied his scythe. As one, the two charged the sorcerer. Seeing this, the sorcerer launched a ball of purple energy at them. On instinct, Robin shoved Chrom to the side and slashed with his scythe. The ball of energy exploded, and the destructive power scattered in all directions before fizzling out harmlessly. Chrom took this opportunity to close in and attempted to slash the sorcerer across his chest. The sorcerer formed another blade of energy, replacing the ball that he threw in his dominant hand, and blocked the swordsman's attack.

Taking this opportunity, Robin whirled his scythe in front of him. The eyes of the dragon on his scythe and the edges of the scythe blade, which had previously been glowing red, changed into a royal purple color. Feeling the transformation complete, Robin swung the scythe in a downwards arc, creating a blade of black energy that flew through the air towards the sorcerer

The sorcerer pushed Chrom aside and moved out of the way of the blade of energy. Seeing an opportunity, Robin dashed over to him and the scythe began to glow red again. He swung his scythe downwards, aimed at the sorcerer's chest. However, the sorcerer blocked it with a blade of dark energy.

Robin locked up the sorcerer's blade of dark energy with his scythe, not allowing the sorcerer to move it, unless he wished to be slashed open by Naglrath. "Now!" the Plegian prince shouted, as Chrom dashed behind the sorcerer and quickly slashed the sorcerer in the back. Grunting in pain, the sorcerer finally fell down.

Chrom made eye contact with Robin and smiled. "We did it. It's over now." "This isn't over! Damn you BOTH!" The sorcerer threw one final spell in their direction. On reflex, Robin shoved Chrom out of the way, getting hit by the bolt instead, getting knocked down in the process.

Chrom ran to Robin and helped him up. However, Robin noticed that his field of vision would flicker occasionally, making everything go red.

"Are you all right?" Chrom asked. "That's the end of him. Thanks to you, we carried the day. We can rest easy now. At long last…" Then he paused, seeming to notice the excruciating pain Robin was in. "What's wrong? Hang on-URKGGG" Chrom stumbled backwards, looking down in shock at the bolt of thunder magic stabbed through his abdomen. "This…. Isn't your fault. Promise me… promise me you'll escape this place… Please… Go…" with that, Chrom fell over, and stopped moving.

**Ylissean Border**

Robin felt tired. So tired. It felt like he had stayed up for several nights in a row. All he wanted to do was lie down and rest. He blissfully kept his eyes shut. Once he got some rest, he'll get up and go finish whatever he had been doing. But for now, nothing could keep him from enjoying in nap. That is, until an unfamiliar voice stirred him from his rest.

"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING." he heard a rather feminine voice say.

"What do you propose we do?" Another seemingly familiar voice replied.

"I-I dunno!" replied the first voice.

Reluctantly, Robin opens his eyes. Standing over him were two figures. The first, presumably the owner of the female voice, was a rather short, (and rather pretty, he admitted to himself) girl with blonde hair done in two pigtails wearing a yellow dress. The other he recognized as the swordsman from his dream. He wore a blue shirt and a white cape with knee high boots.

The man, Chrom, spoke when he realized Robin had come to. "I see you're awake now." "Hey there." the girl chimed in. "There are better places to take a nap than the ground, you know. Give me your hand." With that, Chrom reached out his hand and helped Robin get up.

"You all right?" Chrom asked once Robin had gotten to his feet. "Y-Yes, thank you, Chrom." Robin replied. The man looked slightly taken aback for one moment, but then recomposed himself. "Ah, so I see you know who I am then?" he asked.

Robin furrowed his brow in frustration. "No, actually, it's rather strange… your name, it just suddenly came to me." Chrom tilted his head. "Hmm, how curious. Tell me, what is your name? What brings you here?"

Robin scratched his head. "My name? Its… uh… its…hmm?" Chrom looked confused. "You don't remember your own name?" "Well, I'm not sure if.. Wait. Where am I exactly?"

The girl raised her right index finger. "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!" "It's called a load of pegasus dung." A third, gruff voice interrupted. It belonged to a Great Knight wearing light blue armor. "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?" "B-but.. It's the truth!" Robin replied defensively.

Chrom looked deep in thought. "But what if it IS true, Frederick? We can't just leave him here alone and confused, what type of shepherds would we be then?" "Just the same, milord". The man, Frederick, replied. "'Twould not be wise to let a wolf into our flock." Chrom nodded. "Right then, we'll take him to town and sort it out then."

"W-Wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?" Robin panicked. "Peace friend." Chrom replied. "I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come."

And with that, the three led a rather confused Robin down the road towards Southtown, moving further and further away from Plegia.

**Along the road to Southtown**

The four walked in absolute silence for several minutes.

"So…." Robin began. "Am I to be your prisoner then?" In response, he got laughter from Chrom. "No, you'll be free to go once we establish that you are no enemy of Ylisse."

Robin looked deep in thought. "Ylisse? So is that where we are then?

The knight, Frederick, scoffed at his response. "You've never heard of the halidom? Ha! Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing…"

Chrom frowned at the knight. "Frederick, please. This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the exalt. I suppose proper introductions are in order... My name is Chrom—but then, you already knew that. The delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."

At this, the girl shook her fists above her head in protest. "I am NOT delicate! Hmph… ignore my brother please. He can be a bit thick sometimes." Then she tilted her head in thought. "Although you're lucky us shepherds found you. Brigands would have been a rude awakening."

Robin looked confused. "Shepherds? You tend sheep? In full armor?" Chrom smiled. "Believe it or not, it's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary here." He gestured at the mounted knight. In response, Frederick put his fist to his chestplate. "A title I shall wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise."

Robin nodded in understanding. "That is probably wise. I would do the same thing if I were in your position." Then his eyes lit up, as if he just discovered a great revelation. "My name is Robin!" he claimed excitedly. "I just remembered that. I suppose that's one mystery solved."

"Robin?" Chrom questioned. "Isn't that a Plegian name?" 'It would make sense, considering the cloak he's wearing looks Plegian.' Chrom thought to himself. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Lissa's cry of alarm.

"Chrom!" Lissa shouted. "The town!" she gestured frantically in the direction of Southtown.

Chrom gritted his teeth at the sight. "Damn it! The town's ablaze! Those blasted brigands no doubt… Frederick! Lissa! Quickly!"

"What about him?" Frederick asked, gesturing towards Robin. "Unless he's on fire too, it can wait." came the reply. Frederick nodded in agreement. "Aptly put, milord." "Let's go already!" Lissa cried in impatience.

With that, the three ran off towards the town, leaving a rather confused Robin behind.

"Wait, what about me?" Robin wondered. He stood there for a moment, not sure of what to do. Finally, he sighed and decided to run after them.

**Southtown**

Chrom, Frederick and Lissa arrived in the middle of Southtown, to find merchants' stands knocked over, the merchandise spilling all across the floor. Cries for help could be heard from several different directions as several brigands swept the city for anything of value.

At the very center of town, a brigand that seemed to be their leader gestured to his men to work faster. "Wa ha ha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types! No village is safe from Garrick and his men!"

The brigands, who didn't seem to notice the arrival of Chrom and the others, continued to work hard to squeeze every last valuable item from the merchants of the town.

"Chrom! We have to stop them!" Lissa whispered. Chrom gritted his teeth. "Don't worry, after today, these bandits will never bother anyone ever again." he said with resolve.

"Wait!" Robin exclaimed as he finally caught up to the three. He rested his hands on his knees, taking the time to catch his breath. "Robin? You followed us? Why?" Chrom asked. "I...I'm not certain myself, but I'm not defenceless, and I know my way around a fight… if you'll have me."

Chrom nodded approvingly. "Of course-strength in numbers. Just stay close!" "Remember Robin, we face thieves and murderers," Reminded Frederick. "They will grant us no quarter. It is kill or be killed."

Robin nodded and pulled a yellow tome out of his cloak. Seeing this, Chrom felt compelled to ask a question. "Is that a tome? You know magic?" Robin nodded. "Yes, I think so. Also, I have this…"

At this point, he reached into his cloak again, and retrieved a crystal ball that fit in the palm of his hand. The bottom half of the globe was encased in a black metal that resembled six feathery wings enveloping the ball in a tight embrace.

Robin closed his eyes in concentration. When he reopened them, his eyes had a faint green glow. A large grid appeared over the orb, with the crystal ball as its center. A variety of characters dotted the board, resembling chess pieces, with some being red and some being green. At the very center stood one single blue piece. (Author's note: Think of this as a holographic projection.) "Woah…" Lissa said in wonder.

"This is something I built. I don't remember how or why, but I do know it can help us out a lot in battle." Robin explained. "It's called Hekseer, and I can use it to read the battlefield, meaning I can make plans for how to win the battle accordingly. Let me start by marking you all as allies."

Without moving his body, Robin tightened the concentration of his mind and 3 of the pieces near the center turned to blue. "Ok. We are ready. Most of the brigands are straight ahead of us, with what I presume to be their leader right behind them." Robin frowned. "There are some mages, or possibly scholars carrying tomes as well. But they don't seem to be in conflict with the brigands, meaning they could very well be thieves as well."

Robin turned to Frederick. "You have the most mobility out of any of us. Mages have very poor defences, so you should attack all of them on sight. If you attack them before they attack you, there is a good chance they'll be dead before they can fire a single spell." Frederick nodded in acknowledgement.

Robin then faced Chrom. "Most of the brigands have axes as their main weapons. Furthermore, considering their traits and backgrounds, it is highly likely that their form of fighting consists of all power and no skill. This gives you an immense advantage, since you use a sword. Try to fight them one at a time, and you should be able take them out easily." "Right." Chrom responded.

Finally, Robin addressed Lissa. "Since you have no weapons to fight with, stay towards the back. Heal anyone that gets injured." This earned a nod from the girl.

Robin then placed the hand holding his tome to his chest and addressed Chrom and Frederick one last time. "I will support the two of you from a distance with my magic. I'll also be the primary wall of defence for Lissa should anyone get past you two. Now, let's begin!"

With a plan in mind, the four raced towards the brigands. It wasn't until the first brigand got slashed across the chest by Chrom and another mage got impaled by Frederick's lance before they finally noticed the four.

The brigands charged towards them, with no sense of order or intelligent planning. One swung his axe at Chrom, but the swing was extremely telegraphed. Chrom easily stepped to the side and slashed upwards, leaving a deep cut across the brigands side. Said brigand cried in pain, before falling to the ground. Not allowing his opponent a moment of rest, Chrom stabbed the fallen brigand through the chest, instantly killing him.

Frederick was also fairing fairly well. He rode around the square, impaling any and all mages he saw, and when there were no nearby mages, he easily took on the axe-wielding brigands, despite having the weapon disadvantage. Eventually, a mage threw a wind spell at him from a distance. Frederick didn't have time to dodge it, and got hit, sustaining minor injuries.

"Lissa!" shouted Robin as he cast a bolt of thunder at a brigand running at Chrom while the blue haired swordsman was fighting off another enemy. "Right!" Came the reply. The girl in question ran forward and began the chant with her staff held up. After a brief delay, a refreshing wave of energy flew across Frederick's body, healing the minor wounds caused by the wind spell. Nodding towards Lissa in appreciation, the knight sped off in the direction of his attacker.

Seeing an opportunity, another brigand ran towards Lissa with axe held high, earning a scream of help from the blonde. Lissa covered her eyes with her hands, expecting the worst, but instead of feeling pain, she heard a "GLURK" sound in front of her. Opening her eyes, she noticed her attacker on the ground, dead, with a large burn wound on his chest, caused by electricity.

Turning her head towards Robin, she received a wide smile from the amnesiac. She waved her hand and smiled in thanks, earning a nod of acknowledgement from Robin.

At this point, the leader of the brigands, Garrick, realized things were not going their way. "You there!" he barked to all his nearby allies. "Charge at them, there are only four of them for Grima's sake! I'll sneak around, and ambush them from behind." With that, Garrick sneakily pathed around the fallen carts and stands until he ended up closest to Robin.

'This guy seems to be the one callin' the shots' he mused. 'He doesn't look like he has anything except a tome. If I get close enough, it's an easy kill.' With that, he raised his axe and charged the tactician.

Lissa was surveying the battleground, making sure Chrom and Frederick stayed healthy. Fortunately, the battle was rather easy because they followed Robin's plan. The two stayed out of the way of mages, and Frederick charged in whenever they attempted to get close. Chrom drew the brigands towards him one at a time, and handily beat each one. Feeling satisfied, Lissa turned back around towards Robin, and her face paled. Robin, who was busy aiming his thunder tome didn't seem to see a particularly burly bandit sneak up on him. She began to panic. "Chrom! Robin needs help!" Lissa cried.

Hearing this, Chrom quickly cut down his current opponent and turned his head towards Robin, also seeing an assailant sneaking up on the white haired strategist.

'Shit! He doesn't have any close range weapons!' Chrom thought as he began to run back towards Robin. "Watch out! He shouted."

Garrick raised his axe and was about to bring it down with a look of victory on his face. However, Chrom and Lissa's warnings gave Robin enough time to turn around. He didn't look panicked Instead, a feral grin appeared over his face.

Robin dropped his tome and reached out towards his side with his right hand and made a grabbing motion. As he pulled his hand back, a black scythe materialized out of the air. When the scythe fully appeared, the six eyes of the dragon's head glowed red. He swung the weapon around, catching the axe at the point where the axe blade connected to the handle. With an experienced twist of his blade, Robin jerked the axe free of the brigands grasp, causing it to fly away from the assailant's hands.

The brigand had one moment to realize he really fucked up before he was slashed in two by a horizontal swing from Robin's deadly weapon. When the blade made contact with the brigand, the edges of the blade began to glow red uncontrollably. Blood flew out from the wound in the direction of the slash and splattered onto the ground a few feet away. As the brigand died, the flesh around the slash wound began to turn paler and paler.

Robin knelt down over the corpse and cupped his hands above the dead body, causing a ball of energy to appear in them. He grasped this energy in his left hand and closed his fist around it. Then, he reached to his left and made a pushing motion, releasing the energy away from him, and causing it to flicker out of existence. The whole time, Chrom and Lissa stared at him, dumbstruck.

"Wh-What was that?" Lissa stammered in bewilderment. "Y-you just pulled that out of thin air!" Chrom just shook his head, not believing his eyes. Frederick, on the other hand, rode over after killing the last brigand. He leveled his lance at Robin.

"You have proven to be quite dangerous. I must ask that you hand over your weapons until we deem you trustworthy." Robin was just about to protest when Chrom spoke first. "Peace Frederick. He may be strong, but he hasn't shown that he is of threat to Ylisse yet. After all, he just fought alongside us to save Ylissean lives. And besides," Chrom added. "If he were one of Plegia's assassins, I think I would be dead by now."

Frederick pondered these words for a moment, before retracting his lance. "I will not press the matter, for the sake of my liege. But," he warned. "I will keep a close eye on you."

Chrom looked at Robin. "Besides Frederick, the shepherds are in great need of a tactician like Robin, don't you agree? I may technically be a leader, but I've never been known for my battle tactics."

"THAT'S an understatement," Lissa muttered under her breath. "What was that?" Chrom furrowed his eyebrows. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" stammered Lissa, holding her hands up.

Chrom turned back to Robin. "So how about it? Will you join us Robin?"

Robin didn't need any time to think about it. "I would be honored."

Chrom, Robin, Frederick and Lissa (sort of) then proceeded to help the villagers bury or burn the dead. As they worked, Frederick brought up something that he found troubling.

"Did you notice milord? These brigands spoke with a Plegian accent." "Plegian? What is that?" Robin wondered out loud. Chrom sighed. "Plegia is Ylisse's western neighbor. They send small bands across our border, hoping to start a war."

"And it's the townsfolk that suffer! The poor, innocent, helpless townfolk…" Lissa chimed in. "They do have us milady." Frederick replied. "Shepherds to protect the sheep." 'Oh, so THAT is what they mean by shepherds' Robin thought to himself.

Just then, a small group of villagers approached the four. "Milord, please! You must stay the night! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!" One villager exclaimed.

"I thank you for your kind offer, but we must press onwards back towards Ylisstol." Frederick explained. "And besides, 'twould be rude of us to press upon your resources."

"Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply— Wait, what?! We're not staying?! But, Frederick, it's nearly dark!" Lissa complained. "When night falls, we will camp on the ground, and eat off the land. We'll make our bed of twigs and the like. It's the only way to get back to Ylisstol by tomorrow." Chrom also thanked the villagers for their kindness, but politely refused their offer.

When they finished tending to the dead, the four made their way northwards, towards the capital of Ylisse.

**Chrom: Age: 18**

**Class: Lord**

**Lissa: Age: 16**

**Class: Cleric**

**Frederick: Age: 24**

**Class: Great Knight**


	3. Unwelcome Change

**Author's Notes:**

**I feel like I've been uploading the first few chapters rather quickly, but I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep up this uploading speed. That being said, I will continue to write, I just might take longer between uploads.**

**When it comes to this chapter, I find it fairly awkward to write about 'Marth', especially when it comes to using pronouns. I'm sure those of us that have played Awakening can understand. For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about: Welcome! I'm glad you decided to read something new, and hope you enjoy what I have to offer. **

**That being said, if you haven't played Awakening before, the end of this chapter might be a little bit confusing. But if you wait, its purpose will become more clear later in the story. Enough talking. Here is Chapter 3:**

**Road connecting Southtown to Ylisstol**

The four slowly but surely made their way towards Ylisstol. Lissa passed the time by telling Robin stories about the Shepherds, with each one seeming to have a unique purpose in their group. Robin had to admit, the cheerful and bubbly personality of Lissa was really enjoyable to be around. Her mood was contagious, and everyone, even Frederick was laughing and having a good time.

They marched for a couple hours at a time, with a 15 minute break separating each. Frederick was very thorough in making sure they marched and took breaks at exactly the right moment. Eventually, the sun began to set, and they decided to get ready to make camp for the night.

"I'm hungry." Chrom declared. "I'll go see if I can hunt something to eat."

"I'll go with you," Robin volunteered. "We'll have a better chance with two people than one, right?" This earned him a smile from the blue haired swordsman, but a look of suspicion from Frederick.

Chrom noticed this, and quickly addressed the Great Knight. "Peace Frederick. Robin is right, and besides, I think I can trust him. You should stay here and make camp with Lissa."

Frederick hesitated for a moment, before replying "Understood, milord." He watched the two as they ran off into the woods. "What's wrong?" Lissa asked, noticing the scowl on the knight's face. "Something about how he volunteered seemed… off. I think I might regret not going with them. This would be a perfect opportunity for Robin to kill milord without us being able to stop him."

"Oh come on!" Lissa pouted. "You saw how he helped us defeat those Plegians back there. And besides, wouldn't you worry about if you went with Chrom and I was left here alone, or with Robin?"

Frederick sighed, conceding the point. "I hope you are right milady. I honestly wish that I'm just being too cautious."

With that, the two began to look for a place to make a firepit and somewhere to sleep for the night.

**With Robin and Chrom**

The two had been looking around for about half an hour. So far, they hadn't found much. They walked around in silence, not wanting to scare away any animals with their chattering.

That was perfectly fine with Robin. He was just content with admiring the scenery. It was extremely relaxing for the new tactician of the shepherds.

Suddenly, the two noticed a rustling in the brush in front of them. Chrom turned just in time to see the rump of a large, brown animal disappear further into the forest.

'Bear!' Chrom thought as he ran off in that direction. "Wha-hey wait!" stammered a confused Robin as he ran after the swordsman.

Unfortunately for Robin, Chrom was much faster than he was. It wasn't even that Robin wasn't fit. Compared to normal people, Robin can be considered very athletic. However, he spends significantly less time battle training, and significantly more time reading than the blue haired swordsman. Within two minutes, Chrom was nearly 50 m ahead of Robin, and had all but disappeared in the maze of trees.

By the time Robin had caught up, Chrom was in the middle of a clearing, already attempting to kill the bear. He slashed at the bear whenever it lunged at him, keeping himself far away from the deadly claws of the large animal.

Robin almost didn't even want to help, and just watched the swordsman and admired his skill. Chrom looked like he was handily beating the bear. Bit by bit he wore the animal down, waiting for the perfect moment to land the killing blow. However, Chrom accidentally got his foot caught on the root of a nearby tree and falls down on his back.

The bear sees and opportunity and lunges at the fallen swordsman. It opens its mouth in preparation to bite down on its attacker, and Chrom sees his life flash before his eyes.

*CRRRRACK!* a bolt of thunder flies directly into the bear's mouth and explodes, killing the bear instantly. Its limp body falls onto Chrom, and besides feeling a massive amount of weight on top of him, Chrom ended up mostly OK.

Chrom is dazed for a second before pushing the bear off of him. He got up and turned to Robin and scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. "Thanks friend."

Robin smirked. "I thought you would be able to beat it, so I didn't do anything until just now. In the future, you should be more careful of your surroundings. I'm not always gonna be there to smite people in the face when you trip."

Chrom sighed. "Yeah, you are right." Then he turned back towards the bear, and became much more excited. "On a brighter note, we can have bear tonight!" Robin chuckled. "Bear? Is that even any good?" In response, Chrom gave him a thumbs up. "You'll have never tasted anything better once you try it."

Robin shrugged. "I guess the more pressing question right now is how are we going to get this bear back to camp. It's getting dark soon, so we are going to need to hurry."

Chrom looked deep in thought. "I guess we could butcher it here. It's not like we can finish all of the bear anyways. But that still leaves the matter of how we are going to carry the meat back…"

Robin smiled. "Don't worry about it. Leave that part to me." Chrom nodded. "OK, ill cut it up then." He fished out a large dagger from his side and began to cut into the dead bear, seeming to know exactly where the good meat is. A few moments later, they had cut out several sizable pieces of bear meat.

"Well? Now what?" Chrom asked. In response, Robin picked up the pieces one by one, and gently pushed it through the air away from him. One by one, the pieces disappeared into thin air.

"Now I've been meaning to ask you about that. I saw you pull a scythe out of the air earlier… what was that about?" Chrom inquired. "I don't remember how I originally was able to do this, but what I do know is that I'm able to put stuff in and take stuff out of an astral plane. It's like having a personal storage room following me around at all times." Robin grinned. Chrom looked confused. "Astral plane?" "It's a dimension that is… or rather used to be inhabited by dragons. From what I understand, most of them are dead now, so it's basically just an empty room that only I can access." Robin explained.

At this point, they had walked out of the woods and were back near the road. It was already dark. Looking around, they spotted Lissa and Frederick sitting in a clearing nearby, stoking a fire. The two walked over to them. Frederick was busy whittling some sharp sticks so that they could cook food over the fire.

"Welcome back milord." Greeted Frederick. Then he frowned. "Judging by your appearances, I'd say you were unable to catch anything?"

"Ugh…" Lissa complained "I guess I'm going to bed hungry tonight."

Chrom and Robin smirked at each other. Robin picked up some of the completed sticks and proceeded to reach out to his side. He pulled out the bear meat one piece at a time and stuck them each onto a stick. Frederick and Lissa watched in excitement and relief.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Lissa exclaimed. "There's so much meat too!"

"I must say, I am quite relieved we have anything to eat at all tonight. Pray tell, what type of meat is it?" the Great Knight asked.

Chrom grinned. "It's bear meat!" At this, Lissa and Frederick's faces fell and they both sighed in exasperation.

"Guess I'm going to bed hungry tonight…" Lissa muttered.

Minutes later, they had cooked the meat, and some of them began to dig in. "Mmmm! It's been too long since I last had bear meat! Delicious!" Chrom exclaimed. "What's wrong Lissa? Dig in!"

The girl in question had a frown on her face. "Pass! ...Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain. Right, Robin? Uh… Robin?"

Robin was busy stuffing his face with the meat. "Hmmm? *munch munch* Yes… Right. *slurp* Of course."

Lissa looked at him in shock. "Don't tell me you're actually enjoying that!"

Robin looked annoyed. "Go away… *chew chew* angry lady… *munch* Robin is eating."

Lissa sighed in exasperation. "I suppose you'd enjoy eating anything after not eating for several days." "Just eat it. Meat is meat." Chrom said sternly. "Since when does meat smell like old boots?" Lissa retorted. "I take that back, old boots smell better!"

"Every experience makes us stronger milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick told Lissa with a grin on his face as he snuck his portion into Robin's possession piece by piece.

Lissa pouted. "Really? Then why don't I see YOU eating Frederick?" "M-me?" The Great Knight stammered as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really hungry. I...I had quite a large lunch. Yes, quite."

Lissa scowled at Frederick in suspicion, but eventually got herself to choke down a few bites of the bear. Throughout this time, Chrom and Robin both snarfed down the meat like they hadn't eaten in days, which, for one of them was true.

"See? I told you it was good, didn't I?" Chrom nudged Robin after they finished eating. Robin nodded in agreement. "That really was delicious. I don't think I've ever had anything like it before."

"Hmph… how did you even manage to find a bear anyways?" Lissa asked.

"Well…" Chrom began. "It happened like this...:"

He then went on into detail about how they discovered the bear, and how Robin had saved his life when he tripped. This seemed to put some of Frederick's early suspicions at ease-for the time being.

"Well, maybe Frederick and I should do the hunting next time." Lissa muttered. Then she scooched over next to Robin and leaned in close to him. "Hey, I just remembered. That hex something you used when we fought the bandits… what was that?"

"U-um... " Robin began, with a light shade of pink beginning to dust his cheeks. Chrom coughed loudly, and Lissa reluctantly gave Robin some space and the time to compose himself.

"Well," Robin started again. "Hekseer is a tool I built using quintessence." Seeing the looks of confusion on the faces of his audience, he quickly added "I'll get to that part later."

"The main function of Hekseer is for me to be able to survey the battlefield without having the high ground. The grid that appeared when I activated it is like the map of the battlefield." Robin explained. "Soldiers that bear no hostility appear as green, and enemies appear as red."

"Oh…." Lissa said, with her index finger touching her lip in contemplation. Then she turned back to Robin. "But you turned some into blue, didn't you?"

Robin nodded. "If I know that someone is an ally that I can directly give commands to, I can turn their marker blue. If I set up a link with someone, they will automatically appear blue the next time I use Hekseer." He smirked. "In addition, I can communicate with blue allies that I've set up a link with without talking, and over long distances."

The other three looked at him with skepticism. Robin shrugged. "I know I didn't use it this battle, but trust me. In fact let me demonstrate for you." At this point, he fished Hekseer out of his robe and activated it. Four blue units instantly appeared at the center of the grid.

"Give me your hand." He commanded to Lissa. The girl in question pretended to look away and fan herself. "Why Robin, this is so sudden!" she joked. "Give it." Robin replied nonchalantly. Once the girl touched her hand to Hekseer she felt a flow of energy travel from the object into her, leaving the center of her palm slightly numb. "That feels really weird." The cleric complained.

The process was repeated for the other two members of the party.

Robin smiled with his lips shut. He pointed to them with his right hand while Hekseer rested on the palm of his left. {Can you hear me? This is Robin talking to you} Robin said into the minds of the other three.

"Naga almighty!" stammered Chrom as he was the one taken off guard the most. Lissa and Frederick simply looked shocked.

Robin turned Hekseer off. "With this tool, I can give orders to soldiers without ever needed to be in their sight or hearing distance. Convenient isn't it?"

"Does it have an effective range?" Lissa asked. Robin nodded. "Yes, but it varies based on terrain and weather conditions. I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly how far I could use it."

Frederick brought his hand to his chin in contemplation. "Interesting, this would indeed be a useful tool to have in combat."

Chrom nodded in agreement. "A tool very fitting for the new tactician of the Shepherds, don't you agree?" Robin scratched his head sheepishly.

"So what about the quint.. The quint something?" Lissa asked.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot." Robin smiled. "Quintessence, simply put, is life energy. Everyone has it, but the amount each person has is determined on many factors, such as age, personality and skill."

Chrom frowned. "So when you say you built that with quintessence…" "You mean you built it from people you killed." Frederick finished. Robin shrugged. "I don't remember how I built it, but it doesn't necessarily mean I murdered people. I can just as easily harvest it from people that recently died or are dying."

Chrom smiled. "Well since you don't remember, let's just assume that was what happened." Robin gave an affirmative nod with a smile. "Yes. Good idea."

The four chatted amongst themselves for a little while longer before deciding to go to bed.

Robin was lying on his area of the ground, trying to rest, but not sleep. He was busy reflecting upon everything that had transpired that day, and trying to remember anything he could about his past. After much effort, he has only able to vaguely remember one person. He didn't know who it has, only that it was a girl with long black hair. In the blink of an eye, a couple hours had passed.

Robin let out an exasperated sigh. 'I'm not going to be able to get to sleep' he thought as he sat up. Lissa, who had been the closest person to Robin stirred in her sleep as well. She opened an eye slightly, and saw Robin sitting next to the fire. This prompted her to get up as well.

"*Yawn* what's wrong, Robin?" The girl asked. The tactician smiled. "Nothing, I just couldn't sleep. All my thoughts are keeping me awake." The cleric nodded in agreement. "Mhmm, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose my memories."

Robin got up. "Where are you going?" Lissa asked. "I think I'm going to go take a walk… to clear my head." came the reply. Lissa frowned. "In the dark? Not alone, you won't! I'm coming with you." She said matter of factly. This earned a smile from the tactician. "Heh, thanks Lissa."

As they took a walk in the woods, the two chatted about random things. Robin asked some questions about the shepherds Lissa had talked about earlier in the day. Both enjoyed each other's company.

After a while, they had finally run out of things to talk about, leaving them to walk in an awkward silence.

"It sure is dark… and… quiet." Lissa noticed. "Where did the birds go?" "Something is wrong here…" Robin agreed.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake as if and earthquake has hit the area. "Aah! Robin!" The cleric shouted. "Gods what is this?!" said the man in question. "Stay close Lissa!"

The earthquake grows stronger and causes several trees to fall over. "Run Lissa!" shouted the tactician, prompting the girl to run back towards their campsite as fast as humanly possible. After they were a good distance away, the two stopped to catch their breath.

Suddenly, Lissa lets out a gasp of astonishment. "Look Robin! What IS that?" she pointed to a portal that resembled an eye which suddenly appeared in the night sky.

As she said this, two humanoid figures dropped out of it. Once they hit the ground, they got up with their axes held ready, groaning in a way that made one seriously question whether they were alive or not.

Robin pulls his scythe out of the astral plane. "Lissa, you'd better stand back." This earned an affirmative nod from the girl.

Suddenly, the two undead began to charge them. Robin met them and swung his scythe around, instantly decapitating the first one and turning it back to smoke. The second one got closer and brought its axe down, which Robin blocked. He then slipped to the side of the undead and pulled his scythe away. The axe harmless drove into the ground. Robin then cleaved the Risen in half with an upwards slash.

Lissa screamed. Robin turned around to see another one of the undead moving towards her, prepared to kill. Suddenly, a masked swordsman fell out of the portal and rushed in front of Lissa. The man blocked the undead's strike with his sword, but struggled to maintain the block.

"Help!" The swordsman pleaded. Robin nodded and ran at them. He easily cleaved the preoccupied undead in half with a horizontal swing, causing the thing to evaporate into black smoke.

The masked swordsman turned towards Robin. "My thanks... huh!?" Robin swore the swordsman froze in place for a moment at the sight of him, but didn't press the matter. "No, thank YOU for saving Lissa." he replied with a genuine smile.

"D-don't worry about it. I…I was just doing the right thing." Came the reply. Robin thought the swordsman sounded slightly different somehow, but couldn't quite put a finger on it. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he thought he could see a shade of pink on the swordman's cheeks.

Several loud groans redirected his attention back to reality. He turned around and saw many of the undead creatures walking slowly towards them. A few of them began to charge at them.

Robin and the masked swordsman prepared to counter engage, when two people rushed out first. One undead got slashed in half by Chrom while another got impaled on Frederick's lance.

"Milady, Robin, are you hurt?" The Great Knight asked.

"Chrom! Frederick!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Are such creatures commonplace in these lands?" Robin asked the two. Chrom shook his head. "They are not from Ylisse, I can promise you that."

"No one is injured them? Thank Naga." Frederick breathed a sigh of relief.

Lissa smiled. "Thank the masked man who saved me. If it weren't for him, I'd be… Hey! Where'd he go?" Lissa looked around, thinking maybe he was hiding behind someone.

"We can worry about him later, AFTER we put these...things...to the blade. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy." Frederick said with resolve.

"Keep those things off me for a minute." Robin requested. "Let me get a better sense of our surroundings."

Chrom and Frederick nodded, standing in between Robin and the undead creatures. Robin knelt down and fished out Hekseer, activating it immediately. He saw four blue icons pop up near the center. A green icon a few hundredl meters away. 'That's probably the masked swordsman' Robin concluded. He estimated that there were about ten or so undead around the swordsman, and about twenty in the clearing in front of them. Then he took a minute to survey the surroundings.

"Alright." Robin got up. "Here's the plan. Most of the undead are carrying axes. With the exception of one with a hammer, both Chrom and Frederick should be able to handle them due to Chrom wielding a sword and Frederick's thick armor." He then pointed in front of them, towards the southwest. "In that direction there are a couple abandoned forts. To begin, we'll draw them out one at a time from the woods, where we'll have the terrain advantage. We'll inch our way towards the forts and hold out there. Lissa and I will stick to the rear and she'll heal anyone that gets injured. I'll keep and eye on my Hekseer and help out with my magic when needed"

Hearing the plan gave everyone the morale and confidence boost they needed. They began to execute the plan.

Chrom aggravated a nearby axe wielding undead and lead it back towards them. He dodged the undead's swing and decapitated it, causing it to turn to black smoke. Frederick, on the other hand, took the blow from the undead, but was not fazed. He then proceeded to jam his lance through the undead's skull, killing it instantly.

The four slowly made their way to one of the forts. Chrom and Frederick defended the entrance as the undead began to move towards them. Robin moved further back inside with Lissa.

Suddenly, Robin noticed two green icons appear on the edge of the grid. "Hmm? These aren't undead." Robin muttered. "What happened?" Lissa asked. "Two new characters just entered the stage. One is a red short-haired female cavalier using a lance. The other is a blue haired archer."

Lissa put an index finger to her lips in thought. "That cavalier sounds like it could be Sully. I dunno who the archer could be though." Robin nodded, remembering Lissa's descriptions of her earlier today.

{Frederick} Robin commanded through his Hekseer. {There are two potential allies to the southeast of us. Go inform them of our location and bring them here.} "On my way." He heard Frederick reply.

Frederick charged out of the fort and rode in the southeast direction. This left Chrom to defend the entrance by himself. He seemed to be doing fine against the axe-wielding undead that rushed him one at a time.

Suddenly, Chrom cried out in pain. Robin turned to him to see an arrow protruding from his left arm. Chrom dropped to one knee. "Damn, I didn't expect them to have an archer."

"Lissa, heal him quickly! I'll take care of the archer." Robin commanded. "Right!" came the reply.

As Lissa tended to Chrom's arm, Robin pulled out his scythe from the astral plane. The six eyes of the dragon head glowed purple, as did the edge of the blade. He swung the weapon diagonally through the air, which launched a blade of purple energy towards the archer. He repeated the action, swinging in the reverse direction, sending another wave of magic hurling towards the archer. His target evaporated after getting hit twice.

When the archer died, he turned his attention to the rest of the axe fighters closing in. He was able to kill one from a distance with his scythe, but a few more got much closer. Robin focused, and the scythe began to change color, from glowing purple to glowing red. He mentally prepared himself to fight the undead in close range.

Robin continued to defend the entrance while Lissa continued to work on Chrom. However, it was evident that he was struggling a lot more to fight against the undead fighters than Chrom. 'I really need get into better shape' he felt himself thinking. He took down two, but the third managed to close in on him and attempted to chop him with a vertical swing. Robin only had time to block the attack with his weapon. However, Robin was stuck in a stalemate: he couldn't move his weapon without getting cut in half, and the undead was not giving an inch either. 'Crap, there will be more of them coming soon…' he thought as sweat poured down his forehead.

Suddenly, an arrow flew from the south and hit the undead in the arm. 'More archers?' Robin thought in surprise. He didn't have time to process his thoughts before a cavalier ran in and stabbed the axeman in the side, causing it to evaporate.

Robin looked up at the cavalier. "Ah, so you must be Sully I presume?" "Yeah, that's me. And you must be the new tactician Frederick told me about." Just as she said this, the Great Knight rode in with the blue haired archer.

Robin turned to them. "Nicely done Frederick. So who is this?" he gestured to the archer. "No idea." Sully replied. "At least knows how to be useful with a bow though." Frederick also replied with a shrug.

The archer dismounted from Frederick's horse and took a bow. "You see, my good sir, I am called Virion, the archest of archers!"

Robin put up his hand. "Save it for later, Virion. First, we need to take care of these undead. Sully, you join Frederick on the frontlines. Keep them from entering the fort. Lissa's in the back tending to Chrom's injuries. Virion and I will assist you two from a distance. It looks like they are not organized, so we can take advantage of that by letting them charge at us one by one."

Sully looked furious. "I'm gonna rip these guys a new one for hurting the commander." Frederick didn't say anything, but had a murderous look on his face.

Sure enough, Robin was correct. The undead were not very well organized, and charged the fort on sight. Frederick and Sully formed a wall in front of the entrance, impaling anyone that got too close. From behind them, Virion launched volley after volley of arrows at the charging undead, taking some of them down before they got within 50 feet of the fort.

Not having enough room to use his scythe, Robin put it away and pulled out a thunder tome. He carefully aimed it at all the healthy looking undead, weakening them significantly for the others to finish off.

Eventually, only one undead was left. He carried a short axe and threw it at the frontlining cavaliers from a distance.

"Alright, the two of you break formation and charge the last one. Be careful Sully, because Frederick has heavy armor and can withstand an attack. You're armor is relatively light, so you could get seriously injured." Robin instructed.

"Don't need you to tell me twice." replied the tomboy.

"Stay here and support them from a distance if they need it." he instructed Virion before he ran back into the fort to check if Chrom was OK.

Thankfully, the arrow wound hadn't been too deep. Lissa had already healed it with her staff and wrapped it up in gauze. Robin helped the swordsman to his feet, and the three walked back towards the entrance of the fort, where their three other companions were waiting.

"That was pretty sick, Frederick." Sully declared as she gently bumped the Great Knight's shoulder with her fist.

"After witnessing the gracefulness of the great Virion in combat, would my good lady please reconsider my proposal of marriage?" The blue haired archer asked with a bow.

"Fuck off!" Sully replied and gave him a kick to the chest.

"Ahh!" Virion exclaimed as he fell on his back. "Alas, 'twould be the second time today I've been kicked by such a divine beauty!" He shook his head, as if emphasizing his point.

Frederick cleared his throat. "Milord, it seems that all the creatures have been vanquished."

Robin nodded in agreement. "And I think the masked swordsman took care of the rest…"

"Indeed I did." said a new voice. They turned to see the masked swordsman walking up to them.

"Umm…" Lissa spoke up. "I never got to thank you for saving me earlier. Thank you. You were very brave." Chrom nodded. "You saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom. May I ask for yours?"

The masked swordsman hesitated for a moment. "... you may call me Marth."

"Marth?" Chrom questioned. "Like the heroic king of the legends? You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

Marth shook his head. "I'm not here to talk about me. The world is teetering on the brink of a horrible calamity. What you've seen tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." With this, Marth walked away.

"Huh?" Lissa wondered. "Teetering on what now?"

Robin chuckled. "Not much for conversation, is he?"

"I'll wager we'll hear his name again." Frederick said. "But for now, I'm more worried about the capital. 'Twould not be wise to sleep after that, and to be honest, I'm not sure we would be able to sleep at all. We should make haste towards the capital."

"Agreed." Chrom nodded in consent.

**A short distance away….**

Marth stopped running as soon as he was sure Chrom and the others would not be able to find him.

Tears began to fall from underneath the mask. "Robin… Chrom… Lissa…. All of them… they're alive!" he sobbed.

His heart was beating extraordinarily fast. It was not due to running.

**Some time in the future…**

"Daddy! Daddy come play with me!" a young girl with blue hair exclaimed as she ran through the castle halls. She was no older than five years old.

A man with blue hair and beard smiled at her. "I'm really sorry Lucy, but daddy is busy right now. Daddy needs to meet with some important people."

The girl pouted. "Daddy is always busy. He never has time to play with me…." "Darling…" the man started. "And mommy doesn't have time to play with me, 'cause she is always with baby sister…"

The man smiled. "I promise you I'll find some time to play with you tomorrow. But for now, could you go play by yourself?"

"O….ok…" the young girl replied with a visible look of disappointment on her face. She walked back the way she came from, hanging her head and dragging her feet along the way.

Not looking at where she was going, she ran face-first into someone. "Oh? You must be princess Lucina!" the man said. Then, seeming to notice the sad expression on her face, he asked "What's wrong?"

The girl looked up to find the compassionate face of a man with white hair and a white beard. "My daddy is too busy and won't play with me." she complained. "Now I have to go play by myself."

The man smiled. "Well, it turns out your father has just ordered me to take some time off. Would it be OK if I played with you in his place?" the princess nodded. "You… you know my daddy?" she asked.

The man laughed. "Yes, I guess you could say that. Your father and I are best friends." "B-best friends?" the young girl inquired. "Then what is your name?"

The man smiled again. "My name is Robin." Lucina looked away and was deep in thought. 'I think I heard daddy and mommy say something about Robin… I guess he is not a stranger…'

She turned back to the man. "OK mister Robin, let's go play!"

"Alright." the man grinned. "What shall we play?"

Lucina thought for a moment. "How about Knights and Dragons? I will be the knight, and you will be the big bad dragon that I fight!" she grinned.

"That sounds like we need to find a large enough place to play then." Robin reached down and picked Lucina up, placing her atop his shoulders. "W-woah!" little Lucina cried in surprise.

"Let's go play in the courtyard!" Robin declared as he walked in that direction. "Heehee! I am taller than daddy! Faster, mister Robin, faster!" the little girl exclaimed in joy. "You got it!" the man in question replied with a grin as he began to jog.

He stayed with her the rest of the afternoon, playing with her the whole time.

**Sully: Age: 18**

**Class: Cavalier**

**Viron: Age: 21**

**Class: Archer**


	4. The Shepherds

**Author's Notes: **

**So it turns out I had a lot of extra time today to finish this chapter, so it's getting uploaded even earlier ahead of schedule. **

**I know for some people, the fact that it follows the canonical storyline so closely is a bit of a turn off. I understand this, but I still think that the best way to write this story is to stay pretty close to canon… at least in this first story. I'll leave you all to wonder what I mean by that.**

**However, I also would love to hear feedback and/or questions in the form of reviews. For those that do not write, it makes me feel nice to receive reviews, even if they're short. As for questions, I will answer what I can, but will try not to give away any spoilers.**

**That being said, here is Chapter 4:**

**In the streets of Ylisstol, Capital of Ylisse**

"So this is Ylisstol…" Robin wondered aloud. "There are so many people!"

"It appears that the capital was spared from the chaos we encountered, thank Naga. I see no evidence of a great quake, so it must have been limited to the forest." Frederick observed. "That's a relief!" Lissa wiped her brow with the back of her hand.

Nearby, the voice of an old man shouted "Look! The exalt has come to see us!"

Robin turned towards the direction the man was pointing in. He saw an elegant woman with long blonde hair wearing a light green and gold garment of a sage. "So that is your exalt? She is your ruler, yes?"

"Yes." Frederick replied "Her name is lady Emmeryn.

"Is it safe for her to walk amongst commoners like that?" Robin wondered. "The exalt is the symbol of peace, Ylisse's most prized quality." Frederick explained. "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the fell dragon and god of destruction, Grima, tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and god of creation, Naga, and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn reminds everyone of the peace we had fought for then."

"With Plegians poking at our border, the people need her." Chrom added. "She's a calming presence, when others might call for war." Robin nodded. "Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her."

"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Lissa chimed in.

Robin laughed. "Yes, I imagine-" Suddenly, he made a realization. "Wait… if she's your sister… then that makes you two…" He pointed at Chrom and Lissa. "The prince and princess of the realm." Frederick finished for him. "You remember milord Chrom's name and not this?"

Robin scratched his head. "So when you said you were shepherds… the sheep you were referring to were the people of Ylisse?"

It was Chrom's turn to laugh. "Yes. We have a LOT of sheep."

"C-Chrom! I mean, prince Chrom! Sire! Forgive my dreadful manners!" Robin quickly stammered. Chrom just scoffed. "Just Chrom is fine. I've never been one for formalities."

"The prince and princess…" Robin thought aloud. "That explains why Frederick tolerates all of the teasing, huh?"

"Indeed." Frederick said with a smile. Then his face turned extremely serious. "Oh, the sacrifices I have made for the sake of the realm…"

"It looks like Emm is returning to the palace." Chrom interrupted. "Let's go meet her!" With that, the four made their way through the crowded streets towards the royal palace of Ylisse.

**Inside the royal Ylissean palace**

When Chrom and Lissa walked into the throne room, they were greeted by the Exalt herself. "Chrom! Lissa! Welcome home! Oh, and good day Frederick. How fared you all?" she asked.

Chrom scatched his head. "Well… we shouldn't have many bandit problems for a while now." "Wonderful. And our people?" The exalt asked. "Safe as can be Emm. But we still need to be careful of our borders because the bandits crossed over from Plegia."

A falcon knight with short, light blue hair stepped up to the prince. "Forgive me milord, my pegasus knights should have intercepted them." This caused Chrom to shake his head. "No Phila, your duty was here with the exalt." "And besides, we had plenty of help!" Lissa chimed in.

Emmeryn smiled. "Ah, you speak of your new companion here?" Chrom nodded. "This is Robin. He fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make him a shepherd."

"It sounds like Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude, Robin." the exalt said to Robin, causing him to scratch his head and smile sheepishly. "No, not at all!" came the reply.

Suddenly, Frederick spoke up. "Forgive me, Your Grace, but I must speak. Robin claims to have lost his memory, but that's just a claim. His clothes are Plegian, which could mean he's a Plegian spy."

"Frederick!" Chrom exclaimed angrily. "You saw how he risked his life for Lissa, and he also saved my life as well. Why would he need to do that if he were a spy?"

"Not all Plegians are evil, Frederick." The exalt chimed in. "Most of them want peace just as much as we do." She turned back to Chrom. "Does this man have your trust?" "Yes. I swear on my life." came the instant reply. "He risked his life for me and our people. That's good enough for me."

Emmeryn smiled at Robin. "Well, it seems you have earned the trust of Chrom, and as such you have mine as well." Robin bowed. "Thank you, milady." She then turned back to Frederick. "Thank you Frederick for your prudence, as always. Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have such a tireless retainer. I hope they do remember to mention it from time to time…"

Frederick grinned. "They do occasionally express something akin to gratitude, Your Grace. Phila, I assume you've heard about the undead creatures we've encountered?"

The falcon knight nodded. "Yes milord, we've had reports of their sighting all across Ylisse."

"Chrom, we'll just about to hold a council to discuss this matter. I was hoping you could join us." said the exalt. "Of course." the prince replied.

"I think that's our cue Robin!" Lissa exclaimed as she grabbed Robin's hand, causing the tactician's cheeks to turn pink slightly. "C'mon! I have a place I want to show you!"

With that, Lissa pulled the blushing tactician away.

**A few moments later…**

Lissa pulled robin into a building on the edge of town. "Here we are! The Shepherds' garrison. Go on, make yourself at home!"

As Robin walked in and began to look around, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

A girl with blonde hair done in long curls ran up to Lissa. "Lissa? My treasure! Are you all right?" the girl exclaimed. "I've been on pins and needles!"

"Oh hey Maribelle!" Lissa replied with a smile. "'Oh hey' yourself! I've sprouted 14 gray hairs fretting over you!" Maribelle retorted.

"Aw, you worry too much!" Lissa insisted. "I can handle a battle or two! … Although I could do without the bugs and the bear barbeque... "

"Hey squirt!" Another voice interrupted. Robin turned to see a shirtless man wearing an arm guard yell from across the room. "Where's Chrom? I bet he had a difficult time out there without 'ol Teach an' his trusty axe!"

Lissa giggled. "So you're 'Teach' now? I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught too?" The man grinned. "Hah! Never doubt the Vaike! ...Wait… was that an insult?" This resulted in a chorus of laughter throughout the room.

"Beg pardon," A new voice, this time belonging to a brunette with light pink armor, said. "When might we be able to see the captain?" This earned a chuckle from Maribelle. "Poor Sumia, she's been beside herself with concern... Her eyes were scanning the horizon the entire time during training. She actually might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded. And I thought I was the one that worries too much."

Lissa smiled. "Aw….. Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

Sumia's cheeks instantly flared pink. "W-worry? Well… I… He's our captain and our prince-of course I'd worry!" she managed to stammer.

"So who's the stranger?" Vaike said, changing the topic, much to the relief of poor Sumia.

Lissa giggled again. "No one is stranger than you Vaike! But if you must know, this is Robin. He's the new tactician for the Shepherds! You should see all the tricks he's got up his sleeves." Robin smiled and waved at everyone.

Just then, Chrom walks in. "Ah! Captain!" exclaimed Sumia. "You've returned! I was-I mean, we were all worried about-" at this point, she begins to walk towards Chrom, but trips on some loose papers on the ground. She gets up and dusts herself off, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

"Sumia? Are you all right?" The prince asked. "Those boots of yours again?"

"No!" the girl in question exclaimed. "I mean, yes, I mean…" she sighed in exasperation.

Chrom turned to everyone else. "All right everyone." he declared. "Rest up, because in the morning, we're marching to Regna Ferox." "Regna Ferox?" Robin wondered aloud. "A unified kingdom to the North of Ylisse. It's inhabited by barbarians, or so they say." Sumia told him.

Chrom nodded in agreement. "Warriors are what they are, and we're going to need their help to quell this new menace. Typically the exalt would go and petition for aid herself, but given the recent event… Well, the people might panic should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So this task has been passed to us. Now this mission is strictly voluntary. So if, for any reason-"

"I volunteer!" Lissa exclaimed, not allowing for Chrom to finish. Chrom frowned at his sister, but several of the other shepherds all followed her example, declaring that they volunteer one at a time.

"I.. I… um…" Sumia started. "Yes Sumia?" asked Chrom politely. "It's just that… I'm not sure I'm ready for a proper mission yet… I think I might just get in the way…"

Chrom smiled at her. "Well you could stay behind the main group, and if a battle is met, just watch and learn? Your choice, of course. However, some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield."

Sumia blushed. "Well, if you think it wise captain…" Chrom patted her on the back. "Don't worry, just stay by me and you'll be fine!" This only caused for her blush to deepen. "O-Oh… Yes!" I mean… Yes sir, I'll do that!" she managed to stammer.

Afterwards, Robin went around and got to know some of the other shepherds. He knew that these people will be his future coworkers, so he approached the task with a lot of enthusiasm. Robin would chat with one person, and when the conversation died down, he'd make his way to the next, until the entire room was exhausted.

When it came time for dinner, Robin followed everyone to the dining hall. He got his food from Maribelle, who was on chef duty tonight, and found an empty table to sit at. Shortly after, Lissa made her way over and sat directly next to him.

"So what did you think?" she asked him. "I was right, right? Each shepherd is extremely unique in their own way!"

Robin chuckled. "Yes, indeed." A couple more shepherds came and sat down next to him. A cavalier named Stahl and a mage named Ricken, Robin remembered. Then, to his surprise, Virion came and sat down with them as well.

"So have you become a shepherd as well?" Robin asked the archer. "Ha! Virion, the archest of archers has decided to give in to altruism and lend a helping hand." he then paused, and a look of sadness flashed across his face for a split second. "Although, to be quite honest, I have nowhere else to go as of right now. So I asked Chrom to join and he accepted.

"That's great! Welcome to the team." Stahl exclaimed.

They chatted for a bit more as they ate their meals.

When everyone finished eating, Lissa got up and grabbed Robin's hand. "C'mon, let me show you where you'll be sleeping tonight." she exclaimed. Robin could feel his cheeks heat up a bit, but decided not to think too deep into it.

Lissa led Robin by the hand to an empty room at the end of the hallway where most of the bedrooms were. "Most of the rooms are full right now, but there's a bed in here: The library!" she declared. Robin frowned. "You have a bed in your library?" he wondered. "Well…." Lissa began. "It wasn't originally a library, but we started moving bookshelves from other rooms here to make space, and eventually we decided to just leave it like this. We call it the library because it has all the books in here."

Robin smiled. "Well I don't think there could have been a better room for me." Lissa clapped her hands together. "Great! I knew you'd love it! Well I'll leave you in alone then, I'm sure you're tired after not really sleeping at all yesterday." She winked at him playfully. "Try not to stay up too late, because we have a mission tomorrow morning!" With that, the princess walked back in the direction they came from to go to the girls' side of the dorms.

Robin made himself comfortable in his new room. The bed was a little bit hard, but Robin hardly noticed, especially since he had just been sleeping on the ground yesterday, and possibly a few days before that. He began to look through the bookshelves for any books that sounded interesting.

Engrossed by all of the new information at his fingertips, Robin read for the rest of the evening. After it became completely dark, Robin lit some of the candles in order to continue his reading. Eventually, he led out several large yawns. Sure enough, Lissa was right and Robin was extremely tired. He flopped down on his new bed and instantly fell asleep.

**The following morning…**

The shepherds gathered in front of their garrison. Robin counted ten people in total. Chrom, Lissa, Sumia, Vaike, Miriel, Stahl, Sully, Virion, Frederick and himself.

Chrom turned to address everyone. "Is everyone ready? We have a long march ahead." Seeing everyone's nods of affirmation, Chrom lead the way and the group made their way northward.

As they marched, the shepherds passed the time by chatting. Lissa told the rest of the shepherds the magnificent feats of Robin at Southtown, greatly exaggerating the details to make him look better.

Vaike tried to get Stahl to compete in a belching contest, but like all the others, Stahl simply ignored him.

Sully talked to Frederick about maximizing efficiency of movement in combat.

Everyone was having a decent time considering all they were really doing was marching. It had already been a few hours since they originally set out. Suddenly, Chrom stopped. Lissa, not paying attention, ran face first into his back. "Ow!" she exclaimed. "Why did you stop?"

In response, Chrom pointed to the undead creatures wandering about aimlessly in the field in front of them.

"Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" Chrom asked aloud. Robin scratched his head. "Risen?"

Frederick nodded. "We needed a name for this new threat, so the council gave them one."

Chrom turned to everyone. "Everyone focus, remember what we're up against! Robin, what's the plan?"

In response, Robin pulled out his Hekseer. "Everyone besides Chrom, Lissa and Frederick, come touch this one at a time." he ordered, and the shepherds lined up in order to fulfil the command.

After he binded the tool to everyone, Robin studied the map closer. "It looks like this battle can be divided into two parts." he started. "There is a short bridge ahead of us. If two people fight side by side on it, they can hold back an entire army by themselves. This means, the first part is to route all the Risen on our side of the bridge. Once we take control of the bridge, we can draw the Risen on the other side to us, and pick them off one by one. The second part will be to clear all of them that are one the other side of the bridge." he paused, realizing everyone looked baffled.

"What's wrong?" he asked everyone. "To summarize concisely, everyone is simply bewildered by the sheer amount of insight that is being provided to us currently." the female mage, Miriel explained. Stahl scratched his head and chuckled. "Yeah, with Chrom, usually the battle plan is to run in, and hit things until they die." Everyone laughed at this, much to the chagrin of the blue haired prince.

Robin then turned serious. "Alright, focus everyone. Frederick, Stahl, Sully and Chrom will be our frontline Chrom pair up with Frederick, and Stahl pair up with Sully. Draw out the Risen on this side of the bridge one by one. Miriel, Virion and I will support with ranged attacks from a distance, and Lissa will stay behind us, healing anyone that gets hurt. Sumia and Vaike, you two protect us in case any Risen gets by our frontline."

A series of affirmations ensued. Vaike was the only one grumbling. "Why do I have to stay to the back?" he muttered. Robin placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have as heavy armor as the rest of our frontline. And besides, you have an important job. My life, as well as the lives of Virion and Miriel are in your hands."

At this, the axeman brightened up. "So that means you're trusting me with an important task?" Robin nodded, which caused Vaike to punch the air in joy. "Hell yeah! I'll show you that you can count on ol' Teach!"

Everyone was about to turn and face the enemy, when Robin suddenly spoke up again. "Oh! I almost forgot!" he exclaimed. {I can talk to you all using my Hekseer} he spoke into their minds, scaring mostly everyone, barring Lissa, Frederick and Chrom. {Don't be alarmed. I'm able to communicate with everyone even if I'm far away. Also, as long as I have Hekseer open in battle, I'll be able to hear anything you guys say. If you have a question of what to do in battle, just ask and I'll provide you with the best guidance I can.}

"Damn…" was all most of the shepherds could mutter. Sully bumped her fist on Robin's shoulder. "And here I was wondering what qualifications you had to be our tactician, but it looks like you know exactly what you're doing."

Robin smiled at her, before turning back to everyone else. "Alright, that's all I have to say. Let's execute this plan now."

With that, Chrom paired up with Frederick on their left flank, and Sully and Stahl paired up on their right. "Frederick, charge into the Risen on the left side, you can draw the attention of them and stay relatively safe with your heavy armor. This will buy time for us to slowly take out the ones of the right. Sully and Stahl, bait them out."

The two pairs immediately began to carry out the order. Frederick charged forward with Chrom closely behind, impaling an undead mercenary through the skull. The Risen on the left side of the field immediately took notice and charged towards the pair.

"Vaike, take Lissa and tail them from a distance. Holler if any Risen come towards you two. Lissa, heal Chrom and Frederick if they get hurt." "On it! You can count on ol' Teach to get 'er done!" came the reply from the axe fighter, as he slowly made his way towards Frederick and Chrom with Lissa in tow.

Meanwhile, Stahl and Sully hollered loudly and waved their weapons in the air, causing the Risen on their right side to take notice and close in. The two closest were an undead brigand and an undead mercenary. "Sully, intercept the mercenary. Stahl, back her up. Miriel and Virion, concentrate fire on the brigand in 3...2...1…. Now!"

A volley of arrows followed by a fireball and a thunder spell from Robin all barreled towards the charging Risen simultaneously. They exploded, turning the target back into black smoke.

At the same time, Sully charged the undead mercenary. She stabbed the undead's sword arm with her lance at max range, keeping herself out of slashing distance. This gave Stahl enough time to close in and lop off the monster's head with his own sword. After the Risen disintegrated, Stahl gave Sully a cheeky smile, which was returned by a thumbs up from the redhead.

Robin took a quick glance at his Hekseer. "There are a few spear fighters coming at us on the right side still. Let Sully intercept them, but make sure to stay careful. Virion and Miriel, take out the closest ones as quickly as possible." He ordered. {How's it going over there?} Robin asked Chrom and Frederick. {We're going OK at the moment} he heard Chrom reply in his head. {But if you could hurry up on that side, I don't know how much longer we can hold them back}

Robin thought for a moment. "Sumia, run to where Lissa is, and help defend her." This earned a nod from the female spear fighter as she rushed off towards the princess. {Vaike, Sumia is going to cover your position. I want you to move forward and help out Chrom and Frederick.} {Hell Yeah! Finally, the Vaike can get some action!} he heard the axeman exclaim.

At this point, Robin looked up to see Miriel and Virion working together to take out a spear fighter, as Sully and Stahl worked together to dispatch a second. He smiled, happy that his plan was coming together.

Suddenly, he heard a scream. It was loud enough to be heard from a distance, as well as in his head through the Hekseer. Robin turned and saw Sumia holding her lance out horizontally, blocking a chop from the Risen. It looked like she was having difficulty defending against the attack. {Vaike! Turn back and help Sumia!} Robin ordered as he aimed a thunder spell. The spell nicked the Risen on the shoulder knocking its arm away slightly, simultaneously decreasing the amount of force applied by his axe, much to the relief of Sumia.

Vaike ran back from the frontlines and slammed the blade of his axe down on the Risen's skull, saving a struggling Sumia. "Th-thank you!" the spear fighter exclaimed. Robin smiled in relief. {Robin,} Miriel reported. {The Risen located to the East of our party has been successfully exterminated} {Thanks, Miriel. Sully and Stahl, rush over to relieve some pressure from Chrom and Frederick. Virion and Miriel, make your way towards them as well, but be careful to keep your distance.}

As the four began to execute his plan, Robin started running towards the other side of the field as well. In the distance, he saw Frederick fending off a Risen with his lance while Lissa tended to a wound on Chrom's arm. Once Stahl and Sully arrived, everyone began to fight back harder and began to exterminate the Risen one by one. Virion and Miriel got into range soon after, and began to throw ranged attacks at the unorganized undead.

However, the two ranged units didn't notice a spear fighter charge at them from the direction of the bridge until it was only a few meters away. Thankfully, someone else had noticed. "Not so fast!" Vaike declared as he ran in with his axe held high. "You're tryna stop the Vaike from doin' his job, an' that's something ol' Teach cannot forgive!" Vaike intercepted the Risen and chopped it in half with his axe. Miriel, who was closer to the Risen, gave him her thanks. "I give you my gratitude." This earned her a smile from Vaike as he flexed his biceps. Pretty soon, all the Risen on the left side of the field were dead as well.

Robin made his way near the bridge, and stood about 50 meters in front of it. {Alright. Everyone group over here.} he commanded as he shot a bolt of thunder into the air. Everyone slowly but surely made their way over to the bridge.

Once they all arrived, Robin showed everyone the map on the Hekseer. "Alright, so there's a brigand and a spear fighter on the bridge. Stahl, I want you to take care of the brigande with the support of Sully. Frederick, I want you to do the same to the spear fighter, but with the help of Chrom." The four nodded, and sped off. "Virion and Miriel, I want you two to stand behind the two pairs, and prepare to throw attacks at any Risen that charge at them from a distance." he continued. "Everyone else, stay towards the back and be careful of any Risen that might appear from behind, which would sandwich us."

Stahl charged up to the brigand and slashed the Risen across the chest. It roared in anger and tried to swing at the cavalier, but instead got its arm impaled by Sully's spear. Stahl finished by slashing the monster across the throat. Meanwhile, Frederick shoved his lance through the spear fighter's gut. Chrom went in for the killing blow by stabbing the monster through the chest.

"Heh, we're getting better at this, huh?" Stahl said as he grinned at Sully, which only earned him a scoff from the redhead. "Careful," reminded Frederick. "There are more Risen charging at us. We have to keep them from crossing the bridge."

"Right!" the green and red cavaliers exclaimed.

They disposed of the Risen methodically. One of the frontliners would take the brunt of an attack, while Virion and Miriel finished them off. Anyone that got hurt moved to the back to be healed by Lissa while their partner took their place for the time being.

After several repetitions of this process, only the Risen leader was left. It ran at the group with a short axe held high. It threw the axe, but Frederick blocked it with his shield. "Take him out, Stahl and Sully!" Robin ordered.

The two knights in question charged at the Risen Chieftain and disposed of him in a whirl of slashes and stabs. "Heh, we make a good team." Stahl chuckled with a smile. "Not so fast, stallion." Sully interrupted. "There were many instances when we were fighting that you exposed yourself to potential danger. We're going to have to fix that during training." This earned a groan from the verdant cavalier.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the fighting was over. The group took a moment to rest up and allow Lissa to finish tending to everyone's wounds. Thankfully, nobody got seriously wounded, so everyone was soon patched up by the combination of some vulneries and Lissa's healing staff.

Everyone sat around, with the sweet feeling of a flawless victory still in the air. "Haha! Did you see us out there? It was like we were invincible!" Stay exclaimed to everyone. Sumia nodded. "Even little old me had a way to be useful." "I knew from our very first battle that Robin is quite the capable strategic thinker." Added Virion.

Vaike came over and wrapped an arm around Robin's shoulders and gave a massive grin. "The Vaike can be even Vaikier with this guy leading us! I'm sorry I ever doubted you." "Indeed." Miriel chimed in. "I believe with complete sincerity that even an acclaimed bibliophile such as myself could not have proposed a strategy as sound as that." "I told you guys he was good!" Lissa exclaimed. "To be honest, I thought she was just exaggerating," Stahl began. "But now I think she was not giving you enough credit!"

Robin scratched his head, his cheeks blushing from all the praise being thrown his way.

After everyone had rested up, the group began to march again. They traveled for a couple hours, before they passed through a field with a strange animal in it.

"Well what do we have here?" Chrom wondered aloud. "Is that what I think it is?" Lissa chimed in.

"It looks to be a pegasus." Robin said. "And from its appearance, it seems like its been injured. Let's just have a look here…"

As Robin approaches the creature, it suddenly becomes extremely frightened. The startled animal started kicking its front feet up, being extremely wary of the tactician.

"Woah!" Robin exclaimed in surprise. "Go no closer Robin, that animal is crazed!" Chrom exclaimed.

"It's OK captain, I can handle this…" Sumia began. "Shh…. easy girl, I won't hurt you" She approached the pegasus, and the majestic beast instantly calmed down.

"H-how did it calm down so quickly?" Robin wondered aloud. "That's amazing, Sumia!" Lissa exclaimed. Chrom shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh… it's nothing…" The spear fighter started. "I've just always had a way with animals I guess. You all go ahead, I'll catch up with you guys as soon as we're able." She said as she began to dress the animal's wounds with a vulnery.

"We can wait for you…" Chrom began, but Sumia shook her head. "Every moment is precious when Ylisse is in danger. Thank you captain, but I can manage." Chrom sighed. "Alright then, but stay safe Sumia." the girl in question nodded. "As you command, captain."

With that, the rest of the shepherds made their way past the animal, and allowed Sumia to tend to it. They began to move further North towards the kingdom of Regna Ferox...

**Sumia: Class: Spear Fighter**

**Age: 17**

**Vaike: Class: Fighter**

**Age: 19**

**Miriel: Class: Mage**

**Age: 20**

**Stahl: Class: Cavalier**

**Age: 19**


	5. Warrior Realm

**Author's Notes: **

**So it turns out, this was actually a pretty short chapter. I mean, nothing too crazy happens in the game. However, I expect the next chapter to contain significantly more excitement and/or fluff.**

**If you're not too busy and enjoying my story so far, be sure to leave a review!**

**Edit: I noticed a couple of errors, so I'm reposting the chapter with the errors fixed.**

**With that, here is chapter 5:**

**Along the road to Longfort…**

Chrom and his company continued to march on after their encounter with the Risen. Surprisingly, and to the relief of everyone, they didn't encounter any more of the undead after the first incident.

Although everyone was visibly tired, Chrom insisted that they pressed on, saying that if they did, they could reach Regna Ferox by the end of the day. However, because their skirmish with the Risen took up much of the valuable time in a day, the sky had already gone dark before they were within several kilometers of the border. The temperature fell significantly with the setting sun, and to make things worse, it also began to snow.

"Brrrr!" Lissa exclaimed. "F-F-Frederick! It's freezing!"

The Great Knight managed to let out a chuckle. "Stand beside my horse, milady. He will help shelter you from the wind."

Robin squinted towards a fort in the distance illuminated by torches. "So this is the fortress you were talking about, Chrom?" "Yes." The blue haired prince replied. "The Longfort. It stretches along the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox."

Frederick nodded. "The khans that rule Ferox have grown quite weary of foreigners. Still, don't mistake their lack of hospitality for open hostility. This simply calls for a bit of diplomacy." Chrom nodded. "Negotiation is not my strong suit, but I will try my best." Then he turned to address everyone. "Remember, your actions here reflect upon Ylisse!"

As they approached the fort, a female armored knight atop the walls called down to them. "Halt! Who goes there?"

Chrom stepped forward. "I am prince Chrom of the halidom of Ylisse. I seek an audience with the Khans."

"Not another step, my bold lad! I've lancers and archers at the ready." came the reply. This prompted Frederick to speak up. "Hold milady! We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."

"My only interest is to keep you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!" the knight replied. "B-brigand!?" Frederick stammered. "Now see here…"

"You think you're the first 'Ylisseans' to attempt to cross our border? I have the authority to fell imposters such as yourselves where they stand." the knight declared. "How dare you!" Frederick replied in anger. "You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood!"

"Ha!" the knight scoffed. "And I'm the queen of Valm! You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense, yes?" Then she seemed to pause as if in thought. "Mmm… perhaps we can settle this the Feroxi way. You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!"

"Rgh!" Chrom gritted his teeth. "Emm won't like this at all. Please my good lady! If you'll just listen-" "I've heard quite enough." the knight interrupted. "All forces, attack!"

At this, several lancers atop the walls of the fort threw their javelins. Chrom braced himself, fearing the worst, but instead gets whisked away by a pegasus. Chrom was dazed for a moment. "S-sumia!?" he exclaimed in shock. The ex-spear fighter turned around and smiled at him. "Better hold on tight, Captain. It could get bumpy."

At this, Chrom blushed slightly and looked away. "Uh… Right." This caused Sumia to giggle slightly. "You'll be fine." she told him. "I'm just glad I made it in time!" It was Chrom's turn to smile. "And that goes double for me! Is this the same ornery pegasus we met in the field?" "Oh, she's a sweetheart isn't she? Once you get to know her…"

At this point, they landed safely next to the rest of the shepherds. Robin pulled out the Hekseer.

"Hmm… it looks like our opponents will approach us in a scissor maneuver: one group from the right and one from the left." He covered his mouth in deep thought. "They outnumber us heavily… if only we had more frontline units to work with…" His thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice. "I'm here! I can be a frontline unit!" "Gah!" exclaimed a startled Robin. He looked up to see an armored knight in orange armor standing in front of him.

"K-kellam?" Chrom asked. "How long have you- were you with us all along?" "Yeah, I was." the knight replied. "I was a little bit confused why Robin was not giving me any orders in the last fight, so I just did what looked like I should do. I guess he must've just missed me like everyone else does."

Robin shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Well, I must admit, having an armored knight makes my plans a lot easier to execute." He grinned. "You are a little late in speaking up, but hey, better late than never." he then refocused on the Hekseer. "Maybe we could form up like this… no, what if instead…." As he was brainstorming, Lissa cried out in panic. "Hurry up Robin! They're coming at us! And they don't look very happy!"

"Why don't we just form two walls with the sturdier units, and leave the squishy ones between the two?" Frederick proposed, only to receive a firm shake of his head from Robin. "An amateur move, sir Frederick." He indicated a few of the pieces on the grid. "We don't have enough people to execute a plan like that. Instead, this is what we'll do. We have all the heavily armored units take the left side, and everyone else on the right." Frederick scratched his head. "That would be unwise. The right side will be completely exposed." Robin grinned. "Right. But that's only if we give our opponents an opportunity to strike our right flank. Instead, we charge at the soldiers coming at us from the left and take them all out before the two sides can meet. Then we change sides so that the armored units are on the right side in and fight the soldiers incoming from that side." He gestured at the grid, much to the confusion of mostly everyone.

Robin looked up and gave instructions. "Chrom, I want you to pair with Sumia, and Sully, with Stahl. Kellem you will go with Frederick. The three pairs form a wall on our left flank and charge at the enemy. Virion, Miriel, follow closely behind and attack from a range. Vaike, your job is to guard our backside, just in case they close in on us quicker than anticipated. Your job is to protect Lissa and I." At this point, Robin turned and gave Vaike a serious look. "I'm counting on you to fight against half the Feroxi forces and win. This is not something to take lightly." At this, Vaike grinned in joy. "Of course! You can always count on ol' Teach!"

"Good!" Robin declared. "Try not to kill the Feroxi if it can be avoided. Just knocking them out should be sufficient. Let's begin this operation!" At this, everyone moved to fulfill their obligations in the plan Robin had set out for them.

Sully and Stahl charged forward, tag teaming an archer. Stahl knocked the bow out of his opponent's hands with his sword while Sully swung the butt of her lance around, knocking out the Feroxi with a fierce swing to his head.

Meanwhile, Kellam and Frederick fought an enemy spear fighter. Despite his best efforts, the Feroxi could not deal any meaningful damage to either the knight or the Great Knight. He too was quickly knocked unconscious.

Another archer aimed at Sumia, but the pegasus knight flew higher out of his range. This gave Chrom enough time to close in on the distracted Feroxi soldier. He slammed the butt of his sword into the soldier's skull, removing him from the fight.

"Robin!" Lissa cried out in alarm. "More soldiers are coming from our backside!"

A few spear fighters charged at them from the other direction. "Vaike! Help me intercept those lancers!" {Chrom, your group should be almost finished disposing of the Feroxi on that side. Send Sully and Stahl over to our side as soon as possible. You take Sumia, Frederick and Kellam and prepare to take control of the staircase that leads to an entrance to the fort.}

{Got it} he heard the prince reply in his head.

"You're gonna regret ever messing with ol' Teach!" Vaike declared as he brought down his axe. The spear fighter tried to block the strike by holding his lance out horizontally, but it was clear that his strength was nowhere near that of the axeman. "Rebarbative fool!" Miriel said as she threw a fireball at the lancer struggling in a deadlock with Vaike. The spell hit the Feroxi in the chest and caused the soldier to lose the rest of the strength he had left. The dropped his lance and fell backwards on his rump. Vaike walked over to him and picked him up by the collar. He proceeded to give the Feroxi a wide smile before knocking the man's lights out with a punch to the face.

Meanwhile, Robin was engaging with a second spear fighter with his scythe. Robin had to be on the defensive because he knew that so much as a scratch to his opponent could potentially kill him. The lance fighter lunged at him, and he managed to hook the tip of the spear with the crook of his scythe. He raised the weapon, making his opponent's stab redirect upwards, over his head.

"Now, Virion!" the tactician shouted. The archer in question took the opportunity to shoot an arrow into the shoulder of the Feroxi. Robin took this opportunity to lean in. "An archer doesn't have many ways to disarm you without serious injury." He whispered to him. "And my weapon isn't a typical one either. It will start to sap you of your life energy with just… one… cut." He paused between each of the last three words, emphasizing his point. "The way I see it, you have two options: one, you keep resisting and we'll be forced to… silence you for good. Two, you drop your weapon and scurry back to your allies, in order to nurse your injuries." In answer, he received an aggressive grunt from the Feroxi, not refusing to back down. "Virion!" Robin called to the archer, and the man in question let fly another arrow, this time to the spear fighter's leg. With that, the Feroxi finally released his grip from his weapon, and let it drop to the ground.

Robin withdrew his scythe as well, and allowed the Feroxi soldier to hobble back towards the right entrance of the fort. He saw Sully and Stahl speed past them as they rushed over and removed a Feroxi mercenary from the equation.

Robin took out his Hekseer again and surveyed his surroundings. {Ok, everyone meet up at the base of the left staircase} he commanded. Everyone immediately began to head over in that direction. Once there, Robin began to issue a new set of instructions.

"Alright, the staircase is very narrow. One pair of people can hold back an entire company at the top of the staircase. Miriel and I will blow open the door using magic, and Frederick and Kellem will sit at the top. Virion will support you two from behind with arrows." He paused, looking at the heavily armored pair. "There IS a soldier with a hammer up there. As soon as you see him approaching, call it out." He then turned to Chrom and Sumia. "When that happens, I need you to fly Chrom over and take out the hammer wielder. Once the hammer is down, the rest of us can rush up and fortify our positions at the top of the fort. Afterwards, we'll begin to make our way to their leader and take them out."

Everyone nodded in acknowledgement. With that, Kellem and Frederick took the front of the formation. Robin and Miriel, according to plan, each primed a thunder blast and fireball respectively and blew up the door at the top of the staircase. With that, the armored pair rushed to the top of the staircase.

Most of the Feroxi atop the fort rushed at the two, but they could not make a dent in the seemingly impenetrable defenses of the Armored Knight and the Great Knight. The pair disabled four enemy soldiers with the help of Virion before the hammer wielding axeman got close.

"He's here!" Frederick exclaimed. "Now!" Robin commanded at Sumia, and the pegasus knight took to the air. As the axeman rushed the Great Knight, he was surprised by the flying horse dropping down in front of him. Chrom dismounted from the pegasus and slashed at the Feroxi.

The Feroxi didn't have a chance. Hammers were simply too clumsy to use against a faster unit such as Chrom-especially since he's also a sword user. Once the axeman was defeated, Robin made a new command. {Make sure to take his hammer away, and give it to Vaike}

"The Vaike doesn't need a new weapon!" The axeman protested. "It's so you can use it to defeat their leader." Robin reassured him, earning a wide smile from the fighter at being given such an important task.

Everyone slowly made their way to the top of the staircase. By the time everyone was up there, most of the soldiers on top of the fortress had been disabled. One last Armored Knight made its way over, but was dissuaded by a perfectly aimed fireball from Miriel.

The group made their way over to the female Armored Knight.

"Surrender!" Chrom stepped up. "You have lost." In response, he only got laughter. "I am Raimi, proud knight of Regna Ferox! Let our battle sound the truth of your words!"

With that, Raimi leveled her lance and charged the group. Vaike prepared to go in with his new weapon, but Chrom put up his hand. "This has to be my battle." He said.

Chrom drew his Falchion and ran to meet the Armored Knight. He dodged the initial lunge from her spear, and closed in, slashing across her heavy armor. Had it been a normal sword, it would not have even made a scratch. However, the legendary weapon was able to fare slightly better, causing a large horizontal scratch to appear over the heavy armor.

Raimi tried to bash Chrom with her shield, but the prince sidestepped and got behind her. He slashed the Armored Knight behind the knees and kicked her in the back, knocking her over. Chrom placed a foot on her back, and held Falchion to the back of her unprotected neck.

"As I said before, surrender! You have lost." The victorious prince informed Raimi. "T-then your claims were true…" she managed to get out.

**A few moment later…**

The shepherds helped facilitate the recovery of the Feroxi soldiers, and Lissa even went around to heal some of them with her staff.

"A thousand apologies, Prince Chrom." Raimi said as she bowed to the foreign royal. "I truly mistook your company for brigands. It was dark and we could not see clearly, so we expected a group seeking to enter Ferox to have poor intentions." She straightened up. "But no frauds could ever hope to wage a battle as clean as that one. Although some were seriously injured, not a single of our soldiers was killed in the process. I will send word of your arrival to the capital and escort you there personally. " Chrom smiled. "That would be most appreciated. Thank you."

As Raimi left to go find a messenger, Robin approached Chrom. "That… was amazing. It's like her whole demeanor changed." "In Ferox, strength speaks louder than words." Frederick explained. "I should have known better than to overestimate the chances for diplomacy here. Although, you played a major part in our victories today. Had the commander been me, I would probably have attempted to hold our ground and take down both approaching armies simultaneously."

Robin scratched the back of his head and grinned. "It only worked because the distance between the two enemy groups were so far away. Had the fort been shorter, our backline would have gotten slaughtered."

"So can we get inside the fort?" Lissa interrupted. "It's only getting colder."

"Yes, we should." Replied her brother. "We won't be able to get to the Feroxi capital tonight. Everyone should go inside and rest up."

**The interior of the Longfort**

A few moments later, everyone had made their way inside. Stahl, Sully and Frederick had yet to come back from bringing their horses to the stables. Everyone else was setting up bedrolls and getting ready to sleep.

Robin was in his corner, reading by the dim light of the inner torches. He was deep in concentration, so he didn't realize when Sully and Stahl came back from the stables, laughing about something. He also barely registered the Feroxi soldiers handing out some stew, even though he finished his portion. He even didn't realize when everyone stopped talking and began to go to bed. Robin didn't care. He continued to be engrossed in the novel he brought from the library at the Shepherd's garrison.

It was already well into the night. Lissa, who was sleeping near the entrance, was woken up by the cold wind that got through the cracks of the doors of the fort. She sits up and rubs her eyes.

"Huh?" the Ylissean princess wondered. "Why is Robin still awake?" The man in question was sitting on his bedroll, leaning his back against the wall with his face in a book. Feeling quite cold, the mischievous princess decided to take a chance.

Lissa quietly moved over and sat herself down to the Shepherd's tactician, leaning on his shoulder and startling him. "Lissa?" Robin wondered. "Why aren't you asleep?" "I was, but I got woken up because it was too cold." She rubbed her face against the tacticians shoulder affectionately. "But it's much warmer here." she explained.

Robin sighed. "Alright, suit yourself." "So… whatcha readin'?" the princess inquired. Robin smiled. "'The Waltz of the Three Kingdoms'. It's partially based on the history of the Valmese continent, but with some parts… exaggerated or altered to make it seem more like a work of fiction." he explained. "Well, would you mind reading to me?" the princess said, smiling up to him. "If you read quietly, you won't wake anyone." Robin chuckled. He began to read aloud.

**About an hour later...**

"... and so, Guan'Yu pulled his dragon crescent blade out of the corpse of the Valmese commander. He had slain the sixth general and passed through five Valmese checkpoints. 'Fare thee well.' The Great Knight exclaimed as he motioned for his company to continue their travel. He estimated that in three days time he could be reunited with his brother Liu'Bei…" Robin stopped reading for a moment to the sound of Lissa's steady breathing. In her sleep, she seemed extremely at peace. Robin smiled. 'The march today must've really tired her out.' he mused.

The tactician gently moved his body and helped the princess lay down on his bedroll. He covered the princess with a blanket and made his way to Lissa's original bedroll. 'I guess I should get some sleep. Who knows what will transpire tomorrow?' he thought to himself.

And so, Robin put away his book and despite the cold, began to sleep…

**Sumia: Age: 17**

**Class Change: Pegasus Knight**

**Kellam: Age: 20**

**Class: Armored Knight **


	6. Two Falchions

**Author's Notes:**

**So I know this is a really quick post, but I was looking at my schedule and found that I for whatever reason had a large amount of free time this weekend. I figured I may as well write some more since I may not have as much time in the future. **

**As always, reviews will be greatly appreciated.**

**Without further ado, here is chapter 6: **

**Interior of the Longfort**

Robin awoke to the sound of people talking and eating. He sat up, and found the Shepherds and Feroxi soldiers eating together, and chatting happily. When they realized Robin had woken up, the Shepherds smiled and took turns greeting him with 'good morning's. Everyone except for Frederick, who was eyeing Robin with suspicion. 'I could've sworn that was where milady Lissa had been sleeping last night… come to think of it, she also woke up where I remember seeing Robin last night...'

Seeing him sit up, Lissa rushed over and sat down next to him. She handed him a large piece of bread and some water. "Thanks for reading to me last night." She said to him with a smile. "I know I probably fell asleep in the middle of it, but up until then I was really enjoying it. And…" she began to whisper at this point. "...thanks for letting me change places with you. I know it was really cold over here."

Robin smiled and happily accepted the food. He began to wolf it down. "It *munch munch* was no problem. I enjoyed "chew* reading to you as well. And the cold wasn't too bad." he managed between bites. He was not even a little bit bothered by some of the whispering that began amongst a few of the shepherds.

Once they had finished eating, the shepherds began to tear down and pack up everything that belonged to them. When they were finished, Raimi led them to the back entrance, the one that opens up to Regna Ferox, and began to lead them towards the capital.

Chrom took the lead, and the shepherds marched in rows of two along the dirt roads of Regna Ferox. The snow was beginning to melt, and birds were beginning to chirp, giving everyone, especially Robin, an extremely calming feeling.

As they marched, Frederick slowly made his way to Robin.

"Robin, might I have a word?" The Great Knight asked. "Sure, what's up Frederick?" came the reply. "Would you mind explaining why you woke up this morning on milady Lissa's bedroll?"

Robin didn't even flinch. He casually explained what had transpired the night before and earlier this morning, which made Frederick breath a sigh of relief. "I'm going to assume that you're telling the truth." The Great Knight began. "And in that case, I must thank you for taking care of milady. In truth, if she felt her bedroll to be too cold, it should've been I that switched places with her."

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. Some of the shepherds were chatting and laughing as they marched. The mood was overall extremely pleasant.

Eventually, they reached the capital. Once inside the main entrance of the palace, Raimi turned to the group. "Prince Chrom, please wait here while I go summon the khan." The prince nodded. "Of course."

Robin approached Chrom. "The khan isn't here?" he asked. Chrom chuckled. "Out training, I'd wager. The khans of Ferox prefer battle over politics-or rather-battle IS their politics." Robin nodded. "So a warrior ruler huh? Oh look, is...that the khan?" He pointed at a ebony female Hero approaching them with Raimi.

Chrom walked up to meet her. "You're the… er… the khan, I presume?" The female nodded. "Yes, one of them: the East-Khan. My name is Flavia. I apologize for the troubles at the border, prince Chrom. You are always welcome in Regna Ferox."

Chrom nodded. "Thank you. I'm confident we can put that misunderstanding behind us. Is it true that bandits are ransacking your border villages?" The khan nodded. "Yes. Those Plegian dogs! We found documents proving as such on the corpses of a few of their captains. Plegia must see some benefit to causing tensions to arise between our kingdoms."

"Damn them!" Chrom swore in anger, but quickly recomposed himself. "Forgive me, your Grace. That was… indelicately put." This only resulted in laughter from the khan. "Ha! Damn them and damn delicacy! Here in Ferox we appreciate plain speech. Yes, I like you already." She then turned serious. "I know why you've come, but regretfully I cannot provide any troops for Ylisse."

"What?" Lissa exclaimed. "Why not?" Flavia shrugged. "I lack the authority." Chrom frowned. "Forgive me, but I do not understand. Aren't you a khan?"

"As I've mentioned, I'm ONE of the khans." Flavia began. "In Ferox, the khans of the East and West hold a tournament every few years. The victor acquires total sovereignty over both kingdoms. And that means they have the final say when it comes to forging alliances. The West khan won the tourney last time, so my hands are tied." she explained.

Chrom sighed. "So are we to receive no aid at all?" Flavia shook her head. "Not if you give up so easily! The next tournament is nigh, you see, and I am in need of champions." Chrom frowned. "And what does that have to do with us?"

Flavia chuckled. "The captain of the border guard mentioned that you're quite capable. Perhaps you'll consider representing the East in the upcoming tournament? If you win and I become ruling khan, I will grant you your alliance." "I assumed Ylisseans have no place in Feroxi traditions." countered Chrom.

At this, Flavia began to laugh. "On the contrary, the khans themselves do not fight. They choose champions to represent them. Otherwise our land will be rife with blood feuds and dead khans! We don't involve comrades or kin for the very same reason. Over time, it's been decided that the tourney be fought by outsiders." She paused. "Although, I'm not sure it's ever been fought by foreign royalty. Either way, the choice is up to you."

"There is no choice." Chrom said with resolve. "My people are desperate. We face not only Plegia's constant attacks, but now the added threat of the Risen. If fighting for you is the quickest way to achieve an alliance, then we will gladly pick up our steel."

Flavia laughed again. "I do like you, Prince Chrom! I do hope you survive the tournament. Come, I will show you where it will be held. But be wary! I hear an equally competent swordsman champions the West Khan." Chrom nodded. "He will be defeated by Ylisse's necessity." Flavia grinned. "Well spoken, again. I'm looking forward to see if you're equally skilled with the blade."

With that, Flavia showed them the arena for the tournament. "The tourney will begin in three days." She explained. "In that time, you are free to live and train here in the capital. We will provide your company with food and a place to sleep."

Robin politely raised his hand. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, Your Grace, but what are the rules of the tourney?"

Flavia turned to him. "It's a skirmish between both sides." she explained. "Each participant is still considered to be in the competition until they either die, get knocked unconscious, or admit defeat."

"How many can we bring from each side?" Robin asked. Flavia laughed nervously. "See, that's the most difficult part. As the winners, the West gets to have nine fighters. The East only gets to have six." Robin frowned. "Interesting. So winning the tourney makes winning subsequent tournaments easier…" he then turned to Chrom. "I'll try to find some details on the opponents we'll be facing, and run some calculations on who the best six to bring are." Chrom nodded. "Thank you, Robin, I know I can count on you." This earned a nod of determination from the tactician.

True to his word, Robin asked around and managed to find out that the West Khan's current formation consists of four axe fighters, two mages, two armored knights, and of course, the mystery swordsman.

He toiled through the afternoon, going through possible strategies and scenarios, knowing full well that the security of Ylisse could depend on how the tourney goes. It was well into the evening before there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Robin called out. The door opened, and Chrom walked in. "Hey." The prince began. "It's dinner time. I know how hard you've been working all afternoon. It's important to remember to take care of yourself as well."

Robin smiled. "You're right. And it's a good time for a break right now too." He got up, and followed the prince to the Feroxi dining hall.

Once they arrived, Robin was taken aback by how noisy the place was. There must have been hundreds of Feroxi soldiers in there, all eating and noisily chatting with each other. The two each grabbed a plate and walked over to the kitchen to get served. Once they received their food, they began to head over to the table where the shepherds were all sitting.

When Lissa saw the two approach, she waved her arms around. "Hey guys! We're over here!" She exclaimed. The two smiled and sat down. Robin found himself sitting next to Sully. "So?" the cavalier asked as she bumped Robin's shoulder with her fist. "You've got a plan figured out?"

"Sully!" Chrom exclaimed. "He's been working all afternoon, give the man a break!" "Oh come on!" The redhead complained. "You can't blame me for wanting to know the plan. We haven't lost a single battle since Robin joined us."

"It's fine, really." Robin said as he put his fork in the air. "It helps me figure things out when I try to explain it out loud. The way I see it, the selection of the perfect six to include will be extremely important. I know for sure, we are going to take Chrom, Frederick and Vaike…" "Hell yeah!" the blonde axe fighter rudely interrupted. "Ol' Teach is on the starting lineup!" "Hey bozo!" Sully retorted. "Let the man finish! I'm trying to listen here!"

Robin chuckled. "Well as I was saying, Frederick was my very first choice because, and let's face it, he is our strongest fighter right now. Not only is his lance deadly, but he can't get hurt very easily because of his heavy armor. If needed, Frederick can probably take out the West Khan's mystery swordsman handily." He paused. "Next, I chose Chrom because of his agility and skill with a sword. The West Khan will have four axe fighters, so Chrom will be able to handle those with ease. My third choice… it wasn't easy, but I chose Vaike."

At this, the axeman in question raised his voice. "What's that supposed to m-" at this point, he was muffled by Sully angrily covering his mouth.

"Well, he also has two armored knights. Vaike will be able to defeat them rather easily due to his weapon advantage and the fact that he has a hammer." He turned to Vaike at this point. "Make sure you get some extra training in with that weapon tomorrow, we really need you to be in top form."

Vaike removed Sully's hand from covering his mouth and smiled. "You can count on the Vaike!"

"What about the other three?" Stahl inquired.

"Well, then it becomes a bit difficult." Robin took a bite of his food. "I think we will definitely not be taking Lissa, because we already have a three person disadvantage. I don't think it would be wise to opt into an essentially 5 versus 9." he paused to eat a bit more. "So I'm thinking we take Miriel and myself. Having some more magic damage increases our chances at taking down their melee soldiers from a distance, and it will definitely help us shred through the armored knights."

"For the sixth person, I'm thinking we bring Sumia." he continued. "M-me!?" the pegasus knight stammered. "B-but! Sully is so much stronger than me! Kellem has more armor than me! Stahl-"

Robin held up his hand. "It will make it advantageous for us because they don't have any archers. You could easily ferry Miriel around the arena, launching spells from midair. Not to mention, pegasus knights are fantastic for taking out mages." "O...ok, if you say so…" Sumia whispered.

"Uh oh!" Stahl began, with a grin on his face. "Sully is mad now because she didn't get chosen!" "Can it moron!" the female cavalier retorted. "As much as I would've liked to be down there fighting, I think I can enjoy a show as much as anyone else here. And besides, I trust Robin's decision making. It hasn't lead us wrong yet."

"So now that that's settled, the six that Robin has chosen should train extra hard tomorrow." Chrom said with resolve. "The fate of Ylisse can depend on our performances." "But…" Robin added. "Make sure to get a good night's rest both tonight and tomorrow."

"Phew!" Stahl said as he wiped his brow. "I guess I have the day off tomorrow! Maybe I'll do some sightseeing..." "Not so fast bozo!" Sully interrupted. "Ferox has some of the best training facilities on the continent, so I'm taking advantage of that. You're going to be my training partner tomorrow."

"But…" Stahl protested, but immediately became quiet after seeing the angry glare on Sully's face. "*Gulp* Yes, ma'am." he conceded. This resulted in laughter from the rest of the shepherds.

The following day, Chrom, Vaike, Robin, as well as Sully and a very unhappy Stahl started their training with Frederick's fanatical fitness hour. The hour seemed to pass extremely slowly as the Great Knight pushed the abilities of the bodies of the rest of them to the absolute limit. It didn't help that Stahl was complaining the entire time.

Afterwards, Sully dragged Stahl to a practice ring so they could practice fighting on horseback. Chrom took the opportunity to practice fighting against Vaike, which was an idea that Robin proposed since he would need to be able to defeat a few Feroxi axemen in the following day's duel. Once they were finished, Vaike practiced fighting Frederick, since his job was to be able to beat some armored knights.

Sumia opted to train by herself outside, practicing flying around on her pegasus and using a lance whilst mounted. Miriel on the other hand, went to a separate training room and practiced her tome proficiency with some target dummies.

The rest of the Shepherds took the day off. Of the remaining shepherds, Lissa was the one to take the most advantage of this fact. She went around talking to everyone, basking in the praise and attention she received for being a foreign princess. Virion, on the other hand, took some chances with some Feroxi women, only to get rejected time and time again. Kellam, on the other hand, did what Stahl had meant to do, and simply wandered around the countryside, admiring the beautiful spring scenery.

The day passed all too quickly for these shepherds, and soon it was nighttime. The shepherds all went to bed earlier than usual, in preparation for the following day.

**In the Feroxi Arena…**

Robin looked around the audience once they stepped into the arena. The stadium was packed full of Feroxi soldiers, all cheering at the tourney about to begin. He spotted Sully and some of the other Shepherds in the stands, cheering them on.

"Robin, look!" Chrom said in surprise as he pointed to the other end of the arena. He turned, and saw standing across from them the mysterious masked swordsman. "So that's who the West Khan's champion is…" he wondered aloud.

The announcer signaled for the beginning of the competition.

"Chrom! Draw out the axe fighter on the right! Frederick, do the same to the one on the left." Robin instructed. The two nodded and went to accomplish their assigned tasks.

As predicted, the two axe fighters charged at them. Chrom dodged the initial swing of his opponent and went in for two quick slashes across the chest. Miriel helped my launching over a fireball, knocking down their opponent. The fighter signaled that he was surrendering, and was pulled away by some of the Feroxi soldiers, serving as referees, for the infirmary.

On the other side, Frederick thrust the butt of his spear at the enemy fighter's chest, knocking the air out of him. He raised his lance tip at the fallen soldier's throat, and the Feroxi fighter signaled surrender.

The crowd, and especially the shepherds watching, cheered at two quick victories by the East Khan's champions. Six of the West Khan's champions simultaneously rushed Chrom and his group.

At the front were two mages, who could run faster because they didn't wear armor. One was knocked out by a swing of Frederick's lance to the head, leaving the mage bloody and unconscious. The second fared slightly better and engaged in a magic duel with Miriel. The two were concentrating and throwing magical spells at each other, which gave Vaike enough time to run in and uppercut the Feroxi, knocking him out of the fight.

By this time, the next two, a pair of Axe fighters had closed in. Chrom, once again, engaged the one on the right, and was able to easily win with the help of Miriel. On the left side, the fighter swung his axe at Sumia, but she flew just out of reach. Robin knocked the man down with a well placed thunderbolt, knocking the Feroxi over. He immediately signaled for surrender.

Finally, two of the slowest moving Feroxi, the armored knights, began to approach. At this point, the masked swordsman as began to run towards Chrom and company.

Vaike rushed to the knight on the left side and bashed his opponent with his hammer, leaving a serious dent in the armor, while simultaneously knocking the man down. With no way to get back up, the fallen Feroxi also pulled out of the fight.

The knight on the right rushed towards Miriel. Robin rushed in with his scythe and intercepted the knight's lunge. Sumia flew over and hit the knight's helmet repeatedly with her lance, but to seemingly no effect. Seeing them struggle against the knight, Frederick rushed over and tried to stab the Feroxi. However, the knight blocked it with his shield.

Robin sighed. "Miriel, your turn!" In response, a fireball flew towards them. It hit the knight across the armor, and the knight began to scream in pain. He desperately tried to get out of his suit of armor, and the match officials rushed over to escort him away to the infirmary.

This left just Chrom and the masked swordsman to fight in the center of the arena.

Even though the masked swordsman began to approach them much later, he got to them at around the same time as the armored knights due to his agility. As he approached, Chrom drew his Falchion. In response, the masked swordsman draws his own copy of the sword.

Chrom gasped in surprise. "Where did you get that? There's no way…"

As he got closer, the two finally began to exchange blows. What was baffling to Chrom about the swordsman's fighting style was that it seemed to mirror his own. Except, where the weakness in Chrom's fighting was made up for by strength, the masked swordsman had speed. After a couple minutes of fierce exchanges, the two pulled back for a moment to catch a breath.

Frederick began to move in, but Robin stopped him. "We've already won." The tactician explained. "Chrom would probably not be very happy if we interrupted the one versus one that he seems to be so invested in. If Chrom loses, then we can all dogpile in." Frederick nodded, and put away his lance momentarily.

"Tell me," Chrom asked the swordsman. "Who taught you to fight like that?"

The swordsman gritted his teeth. "My father!" he exclaimed. However, Robin swore he heard a slight tremble in his voice.

"Who is your father?" Chrom continued to interrogate him. The swordsman shook his head. "I've already said enough for one day, sir." Chrom nodded. "Very well. You saved my sister's life, and for that I thank you. However, inside these walls I represent the East Khan, and I will not lose!"

With that, he ran at the swordsman once more. They met blow for blow, and continued to slash and swing, block and retaliate for several more minutes. Robin could see beads of sweat rolling down the face of Frederick.

Upon closer inspection, Robin also noticed that the masked swordsman didn't seem to be fighting to win. He was mostly on the defensive, and never lashed out at the openings that Chrom had. With his skill at disposing of the Risen, there was no doubt in Robin's mind that this was intentional. It was almost as if he had no intention of ever beating Chrom.

Eventually, Chrom noticed a opening (which, unbeknownst to him) was purposely left for him by the swordsman. He swept his foot around, knocking the swordsman off his feet. He pointed his Falchion to the fallen swordsmans neck. "Surrender, you have lost."

The masked swordsman obliged. With that, the stadium began to roar with cheers. Robin could hear Lissa and Sully's cheering above the rest of the crowd, and the six participants of the shepherds all had grins on their faces.

"I-impressive… if not… surprising" the masked swordsman muttered before slinking away, without anyone noticing.

Flavia came down to congratulate them personally. "Well fought! You have my respect, and more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the troops that she needs."

Chrom smiled. "Truly? Thanks, East Khan." Flavia laughed. "Haha! It's been ages since I have held full power. Come, my new friends! Tonight we celebrate!"

As Flavia leaves, a tall, muscular dark-skinned man enters the arena, shaking his head. "Bah! Any excuses for a party and Flavia jumps on it…"

Chrom turns to the newcomer. "I'm… sorry? Have we met?" "I'm the West Khan you so rudely removed from power!" came the reply. "You're handy with a sword, boy. I thought for sure that I picked the stronger man."

"You mean Marth? What do you know about him?" Chrom inquired. Basilio scoffed. "Bah! He's just some sellsword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat." he grinned. "It was love at first sight, and I'm generally too old for such things! Baha! Anyways, he's gone now. Up and fled as soon as the tournament ended."

"He's so dark and mysterious!" Lissa murmured dreamily. *Sigh*

Robin chuckled. "Looks like Marth has got at least one fan!" "Well, I mean, c'mon…" Lissa tried to defend herself. "He IS sorta dreamy, isn't he?" "And YOU'RE sort of dreaming!" Chrom retorted in anger.

Lissa pretended like she was hurt. "Yowch! C'mon Chrom, I'm just kidding!"

"Milord, milady?" Frederick interrupted." If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd better start heading back to Ylisse. The exalt will want to hear the news of this new alliance immediately." Chrom nodded. "Right as always, Frederick."

"Hold, boy." It was the West Khan's turn to interrupt now. "Before you go, I have a present for you." As he says this, a myrmidon with dark brown hair enters. "This is Lon'qu, my former champion. Not much for talking, mind you, but he's peerless with a sword. I honestly can't figure out how Marth was able to best him so easily."

"Marth beat him?" Lissa wondered out loud as she took a step closer to him. "But he looks so big and strong!" Lon'qu, noticing this, took a step back and reached for his killing edge. "Away, woman!" Lissa pouted. "Hey! What did I say?"

Basilio only laughed. "Let's just say that the ladies put Lon'qu on edge. Nonetheless, he is capable. In another life, he could perhaps be a khan. Consider him West Ferox's contribution to the Ylissean cause."

"You're certain about this?" Chrom asked. The khan nodded. "Yes. He's your man now."

"And Lon'qu? You have no objections?" the man in question scoffed. "He gives orders, I stab people. I think our roles are clear." Chrom smiled. "Well OK, welcome aboard then."

"Milord, I hate to interrupt again, but we really should pack our belongings and head back to the capital now." Frederick said again, earning a laugh from the prince. "Right as always, Frederick. Right as always."

"Hmm, since it's almost afternoon, maybe it would be wise to camp again at the Longfort?" suggested Robin. "Good idea," Chrom replied. "Would that be OK, West Khan?"

The man in question laughed. "I don't believe I have the authority to give you permission anymore, boy. Besides, that fort is on Easter Feroxi territory anyways. You'd best ask Flavia for that, although I can already guess her response."

Chrom smiled. "Alright, I'll make sure to go talk about it with her before we leave."

With that, the shepherds all made their way to their sleeping quarters, ready to pack up their belongings and head back home.

**Undisclosed location, somewhere near the arena…**

Marth stopped running when he was sure no one saw where he ran. He stopped under the shade of a tree and pulled out a canteen of water.

"Oh Naga, it was him again… It's bad enough that … Chrom… is here, but why does he have to be too?" he murmured quietly. A few stray tears began to fall from his face. "Why? Why does this mission have to be so… difficult?" he complained to himself and took a sip of water. He wiped his lips off with the back of his hand. "Even though it's so painful, I need to exercise some self control." he concluded to himself. "Otherwise, everyone would have died in vain…"

He let tears fall freely for a few minutes before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. The swordsman got up and began to go back on the move again…

**Some time in the distant future….**

"Daddy! Daddy?" a little bluenette girl screamed as she ran through the halls of the Ylissean royal palace. She turned the corner and ran face first into a much older version of Robin.

"Oof!" she exclaimed. "Daddy?" she looked up expectantly.

Robin laughed. "Sorry, I'm not him."

"Oh hello mister Robin." the little girl said. "Do you know where my daddy is?"

Robin thought for a moment. "Last time I saw him, he was getting his horse ready. I think he said he'll be traveling to Zhanbridge for a few days. They recently experienced a major earthquake and he's going to go help them recover."

The little girl's face fell. "But he promised to play with me today!" she pouted. "Will he be back tonight?" she finally asked.

Robin grimaced. "Sorry Lucy, but it takes a day and a half to even reach there. He might not be back for another week."

At this, little Lucina's eyes began to tear up. "Waaaaah!" she began to cry. "Daddy never plays with me! I always have to go play by myself! I don't want to play by myself anymore….." She continued to cry, attempting unsuccessfully to dry her tears with her sleeves.

"Playing by yourself must be pretty boring, right?" Robin asked the little girl. "*sob* Yes! Playing… *sniff* by myself is not fun… I want to play with daddy!"

Robin sighed. "Well, I'm not your daddy, but if you want me to, I'll be happy to play with you." he offered. The little girl continued sniffling. 'But… but I want to play with daddy! Why does he not play with me?"

"Your father is a really busy and really important man." Robin explained. "He works very hard." "I don't want him to be busy!" Lucina sobbed. "I just want to *sniff* play with him!"

Robin let out another exasperated sigh. "Well, I'm certainly not your father, but if I give you a gift, would you be willing to play with me?" "G-gift?" the little girl asked with curiosity.

He took his arms out from behind his back, revealing a wooden dagger that looked like a miniature Falchion he had been hiding. "This is for you. I carved it for you myself." he grinned, holding the toy weapon out to her.

"Omigosh!" the little princess exclaimed. "This is just like daddy's sword!" she gave the toy a few test swings, disregarding her surroundings. Luckily, Robin moved out of the way quick enough.

"Yaaaah! Haha! This is so much fun!" The princess exclaimed in joy as she continued to imitate the motions she'd seen her father make.

"Do you like it?" the tactician asked Lucina. "I love it!" she beamed. "This is the bestest gift ever!" At this point, her earlier disappointment had been completely forgotten. She ran and hugged Robin around the legs. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you mister Robin!" she giggled.

"Well?" Robin asked. "How about we go find an open area so you can test out your new toy?"

"Yeah!" the princess exclaimed, beaming some more. "I'm just like daddy now! I'm just like daddy now!"

Robin picked up the girl and put her on his shoulders. "Heehee! I'm just like daddy, riding a big horsie! Run mister Robin, run!" she exclaimed in joy. "Alright! Let's go find an open area, maybe the courtyard outside… What do you want to play?" the princess giggled some more. "I wanna play knight and dragons again! Except now I have a real weapon now!" It was Robin's turn to laugh. "Yes, a real fearsome weapon indeed!" "Uh-huh!" The princess replied, not knowing what 'fearsome' meant.

They played together the entire rest of the afternoon. Lucina had so much fun that she completely forgot about her father left in the first place.

**Lon'qu: Class: Myrmidon**

**Age: 18**


	7. Sickle to Sword

**Author's Notes:**

**So as many of you probably know if you've played the game, Donnel's hometown is nowhere on the way back to Ylisstol from Ferox. In fact, it's in the complete opposite direction. However, it never really made sense to me why Chrom would head to the very SouthEast of Ylisse. Therefore, in my story, the Farfort is located on their way back to Ylisse. This was the best way, in my opinion, to be able to seamlessly incorporate Donnel into my story.**

**Furthermore, in accordance to Fire Emblem games, supports will be a vital part of my story. I understand that not everyone will be happy with every pairing, but I have to pick them anyways. It's better than leaving it completely out of the story. If you want, you can leave a review and take a guess about who I will put with who. **

**Pretty long Author's Notes, but here's chapter 7:**

**On the road back from Regna Ferox, near the Farfort…**

Chrom and the shepherds were in the middle of marching back home, their spirits extremely high. Robin noticed Sully and Stahl riding side by side, laughing about something together. They had seemed to grow closer and closer as the shepherds fought more battles.

Vaike was still loudly telling everyone of his feats in the Feroxi arena, despite the fact that everyone had been present that day. "We know already!" Lissa repeated over and over again. "We were all there, you know!"

Virion seemed to be attempting to avoid Miriel for some reason. He'd been doing that for the last couple of days now.

Frederick was diligently reminding everyone to take breaks at the proper times, and making sure everyone began marching when the amount of time allotted for breaks passed exactly.

Sumia was flying above them, her pegasus happily enjoying the freedom of flight.

Robin smiled. Even though he lost his memories and even though he hadn't spent too much time with them, the shepherds felt like family to him by now.

Suddenly, the shepherds heard a loud cry for help. A young villager boy ran up to the group. He was wearing an oddly shaped pot on his head.

"Halp! You've gots to help us! I's beggin' you, milords!" the boy screamed. Chrom motioned for everyone to stop. "Slow down, what happened?" he asked.

At this moment, a brigand appeared out of the woods behind the boy. "Oy! There's the wee piglet!" he exclaimed and let out a cackle.

Chrom gritted his teeth. "Great. Bandits. Just what we needed."

The brigand took notice of Chrom and his group. "What's this? A young lordling has come to watch over his chattel?" he laughed to himself. Then, the brigand took a closer look at the group. "Aw, damn me! It's the shepherds!" then, he took off, back in the direction he came from.

Chrom turned to the boy. "Quickly, lad. What happened here?" "Y-yes milord! Right away, yer lordshipness. Er…. if it please yer graciousness…" the boy stammered. Chrom held up his hand. "Maybe hold off the titles for now. What's your name?"

The boy adjusted the pot on his head. "Donny, er… Donnel, yer Majestyful. I live in the village just beyond, sir." At this, he pointed in the direction he had run from. Chrom nodded. "I guess that'll do. Now, what happened?"

"That rotten-toothed, pig-stinkin' bandit you just ran off attacked us! Er, pardon my language, You Lordliness. I'm the only one what got away, and even then just barely. They were roundin' up others to haul 'em off to a bandit camp… " He got onto his knees and put his hands together in a praying position. "Please, sir! You's gots to save them folks! My ma's one of 'em, and… She's all I got in this world! Please, Yer Royal Highness!"

Chrom gritted his teeth. "There seem to be more evils spawning by the day. All right, Donny, we'll save your ma. Can you lead us to them?" Donnel seemed to be extremely grateful. "Aww, thanks you milords! Just follow me, your sirness!"

With that, Donnel ran off in the direction he originally came from, with the Shepherds closely tailing him.

**A few minutes later…**

Donnel led the shepherds until they could see the ruins of a village. "This is where they've taken up camp, your lordshipness." Chrom grimaced. "Er…. right. Thanks Donny, remember to stay close, and don't take on too many people at once."

"Beg pardon, milords?" The boy seemed to question whether he heard the prince correctly. "I...I can't fight, sirs! I ain't never even stuck a pig b'fore!"

Chrom frowned. "Oh, sorry. I just assumed…" he paused for a moment. "Look… just stay here, you'll be fine."

Donnel's made a determined expression. "I wish I could be as strong as you sirs and madams! Kick that scum out single handed, I would!" Chrom nodded and smiled. "Then you should fight and grow stronger." he suggested.

"But I ain't…" Donnel began. "No man is born a warrior, Donny." Robin interrupted. "And farm work makes for fine training. After all, a sickle is not far from a sword, although bandits may be tougher than wheat. However, the principle's the same."

Donnel took a deep breath. "A-all right, milords. As you say, I'm no warrior. But these're my people and I gots to do what I can!" "That's the spirit Donny!" Chrom exclaimed. "Now, what's the plan this time, Robin?"

Robin took out the Hekseer. "There are some bandits directly to the north of us. We will send our main force to fight them first. Sully will pair up with Stahl, and Kellam will pair with Frederick. You two pairs, along with Lon'qu will be our main frontline fighters."

"Hey! What about ol' Teach?" Vaike interrupted. Robin smiled as he put an arm around the axeman's shoulder. "Boy do I have an important job for you!" at this, Vaike's eyes lit up. "Well? Why don't you share it with the Vaike?"

"You're gonna be in charge of helping Donnel here. Think of yourself as his mentor: show him the ropes of combat." At this, Vaike became confused on whether he should feel honored or not. "Trust me, it's a very important task." Robin emphasized again, and the axeman finally conceded.

"Now then, there's an enemy fighter extremely close to us. Virion and Miriel, I need the two of you to soften him up. Then Vaike and Donnel will run in, and finish him off. After you're done, follow behind our frontline with Lissa and assist them from a distance."

Chrom counted the number of people on his fingers. "That just leaves you, me and Sumia." he concluded.

"Right." Robin nodded. "The three of us will go directly to our East. There is an area where the village wall is broken, so we can into the bandit's nest undetected. The brigands assigned to that area all use axes, so Chrom will be able to deal with them handily. Sumia and myself will provide cover for him."

He looked up at everyone. "Remember, I will be able to hear you through my Hekseer even if I'm far away. Don't be alarmed if I give you orders either." The main group nodded. "Now let's begin. Come, Chrom, Sumia."

As planned, Miriel and Virion launched a volley of attacks from the cover of the woods at the nearest axeman. He got caught by surprised and was knocked to the ground. The last thing he heard was "This is for m'pa!" before he was killed by a pitchfork through the chest.

Vaike gave the farm boy a thumbs up. "Nice, that's your first kill! Good goin', makin' ol' Teach proud!" Donnel nodded with a look of determination on his face. "Y-yessir! I-I can do it!"

The rest of the Shepherds charged past them and engaged the other bandits. Sully and Stahl ran straight at an archer. The bandit was just preparing to shoot his arrow at the exposed Vaike before Stahl ran in and slashed the bow in half and Sully impaled the soldier on her lance.

After confirming her kill, Sully looked up and smiled at the verdant cavalier, giving him a thumbs up. "Nice one! Just like what we practiced!" Stahl laughed in response. "Ha! Too right!"

Donnel looked in awe at the cooperation between the shepherds. Nearby, Kellam and Frederick easily slew an enemy thief, who had absolutely no way of dealing a scratch to the heavily armored duo. Donnel turned his head to see Lon'qu wipe his killing edge clean of the blood of a fallen axeman.

"Well golly gosh! Y'all work t'gether so good!" the farm boy exclaimed. Vaike wrapped an arm around Donnel's shoulder. "You ain't seen nothin' yet! Once Robin came to us, the shepherds have become invincible!"

"Is he really that good?" Donnel wondered for a second. He took a deep breath. "I want to learn to fight like y'all! C'mon, let's not fall behind!" The farm boy ran forward, following closely behind the shepherds that had run ahead. Vaike chucked and began to jog after him.

Meanwhile, Chrom followed Robin's suggestion and fought past two fighters. A third axeman ran at him, and Chrom engaged on him as well. However, this time, an archer ran up as well and began to take aim at Sumia.

"Sumia! Up!" Robin called, and the pegasus knight obliged. As the archer took aim at the elevating pegasus, Robin took the opportunity to launch a thunderbolt at the distracted archer. This knocked the bandit down, which gave Sumia the opportunity to nose dive and kill him with her lance.

{What's your status over there?} Robin called to the other group. {We've just finished getting rid of the brigands outside the village} he heard Frederick reply. {Good. Begin to advance into the village, and have yourself and Kellam sit at the chokepoints. When they try to engage of you, Virion and Miriel can pick them off from a distance. If they're still not dead, have Lon'qu or even Donnel finish them off.} he heard a chorus of affirmations. 'Donnel must be severely confused right about now…' Robin thought to himself, before turning back to Chrom and Sumia.

"Now, we charge through the woods located next to the village walls. We can try to get behind them as they all focus on our main force." "Right." Chrom and Sumia nodded.

In the distance, Robin could hear loud shouting, as more and more of the brigands began to move towards their main group. As some brigands ran past where they were hiding, Robin indicated with his hand for them to move. The three tried to move as quickly as possible without giving away their position.

They spotted a thief sneaking around the woods, no doubt trying to steal from the bandits while they were distracted. He wasn't prepared when Chrom slashed him across the chest, killing him instantly.

{How is it going over there?} Robin asked, taking out the Hekseer once more. {There's a lot of them over here, Frederick and Kellam are able to hold them off though. They don't have the room to swarm us at the same time. Taking control of the choke points was a great idea!} he heard Stahl reply. {Good. Buy us some time, we're sneaking in behind them. Make sure no one gets seriously hurt, Lissa.} He heard an affirmation from the cleric and closed the Hekseer.

"Alright, once we rush out, we have to be really fast." Robin told his two companions. "There's just one archer out there. Once he's down, Sumia should have free reign over the battlefield. I want you to take that guy down at all costs, Chrom." The prince nodded.

They charged out from the woods and took the few mobilizing brigands by surprise. True to his word, Chrom rushed the archer and killed him before he could fire a single arrow.

Sumia and Robin each took a side and began to clear the area of bandits. Robin fired thunderbolt after thunderbolt, and only took out his scythe when an enemy got too close. Sumia, on the other hand, used her superior speed and mobility to dodge around the bandits' feeble attempt to hit her, and looked for moments to strike with her lance. Her assaults may not have been quite as deadly, but the bandits slowly began to accumulate more and more injuries, until they bled to death.

Little by little, the three made their way towards the center of the village, slaughtering the unprepared brigands whenever they ran into them. Robin noticed a stronger looking brigand that looked to be the one giving orders. Robin snuck a peek at his Hekseer, and concluded he was just sending the brigands at the other group of shepherds with a human wave tactic.

'Not surprising. Brigands have never been good at strategizing.' he concluded. Furthermore, this only made it easier for the three of them, because there were only two axemen guarding the bandit leader.

"Charge at them on three." Robin whispered to Chrom and Sumia. He received two nods. "Ready…. Three!" the two were caught slightly by surprise, but quickly recovered. The three charged towards the brigand leader.

Once said brigand finally noticed the three of them, he brandished his axe. "Oho!? Someone dare challenge the great and mighty Roddick? It's time them castle welps learn what us wild-born men can do!"

Robin brought out his scythe and engaged the axeman on the right, while Sumia distracted the one of the left. This left Chrom to be able to charge straight to their leader.

Roddick brought his axe down on Chrom as he approached him, but the prince easily sidestepped it. "What the-" the bandit leader began. "No skill, whatsoever." the prince muttered as he slashed the brigand across his side.

Roddick staggered back, severely wounded but not beaten. "Why you-" he began, before roaring in rage. He seemed to enter a berserk state as he began to wildly swing at Chrom, leaving the prince on the defensive.

"No skill you say? I'll show you what skill looks like!" the brigand roared as he forced the prince back towards one of the walls on the edge of the city. Eventually, Chrom''s back was against the wall. Roddick brought his axe down, forcing Chrom to block it with his sword. Even though Chrom was strong, Roddick was stronger, as the axe began to inch closer and closer to Chrom's face.

"It's over, yer dead!" Roddick exclaimed as he began to laugh maniacally. Suddenly, he stopped. Roddick looked down at his stomach and found the blade of a scythe sticking out of his stomach. The effect was immediate. Roddick's arms felt like jelly and he dropped his axe, which allowed Chrom to relax.

"N-no… way… this ain't…." he managed to stammer aloud before he fell over, dead.

"Sorry it took so long." Robin began. "I had to help Sumia deal with the axe fighter she was fighting first."

Chrom smiled. "Thanks friend." Robin nodded. "Now let's go ambush the rest of the brigands from their backside. With their leader dead, there shouldn't be any problems handling the rest."

With that, the pair, as well as Sumia charged back through the village.

The rest of the shepherds were turtled just outside the entrance of the village, with Frederick and Kellam blocking the gate with their bodies. The two took the brunt of the brigands attacks as Virion and Miriel fired ranged attacks from behind them. Robin saw Sully, Stahl and Lon'qu taking out the ones that tried to sneak around the main entrance, one by one.

"Look! Chrom's here!" Lissa exclaimed in joy. Everyone turned, and while the shepherds all cheered, the brigands' morale suddenly plummeted.

It wasn't a contest after that. The brigands were stuck between the two blades of the meat grinder that was the shepherds. Some of them gave a futile resistance, but most of them tried to escape, only to trample over some of their own in the rush.

Chrom and Robin led the shepherds and hunted down as many of the brigands they could, until only a few of the lucky ones managed to get away.

"We did it! We done drove them bandits away for good and all!" Donnel exclaimed in joy. Chrom put a hand on his shoulder. "A worthy first victory. Vaike told me you fought bravely and that you beat four of them by yourself." The boy scratched the back of his neck and smiled. "Now," Chrom continued. "Do you know where these bandits kept the villagers?" Donnel nodded. "Sure, let me show you right quick yer majestfulness."

Donnel led the shepherds to where he had seen the brigands take the villagers. They were all huddled together in one of the village's corners, but for the most part were unharmed.

He ran up to an older woman in the group. "Ma! Ma, it's me!" The woman hugged Donnel. "Oh Donny! Thank goodness you're safe! I was worried to near death, boy!" she turned to Chrom. "I can't thank you enough for savin' my son and village milord…. Donnel! Where are your manners?! Take a knee and thank his Lordness!"

Donnel obliged. "Er… I can't begin to repay all what you've done for us, yer majestfulness. Th-thank you!"

Chrom smiled. "You led the charge, Donnel. We just picked off the stragglers. Hone your potential and use it to keep this village safe." he turned around and prepared to leave with the shepherds.

"W-wait! Please!" Donnel begged. Chrom turned back around. "Hmm? Something wrong?" "Please, your Graceliness… Take me with you milords! Lemme be a shepherd just like y'alls! I'm good with livestock, I am! I'm beggin' you, sirs!"

Donnel's mom swatted the boy on the head. "Hush now, you fool boy!" "Ma!" Donnel protested. "I want to hone my... Whatever he said. I want to keep this place safe! Milord showed me that I can be so much stronger, and I want to become stronger and repay thems!" "You needs to be knowin' your place, boy!" his mother scolded. "A farmhand's no fit to be with royalty!"

Chrom smiled. "On the contrary, we'd be thrilled to have him. The shepherds need every good man we can find, and your son fought bravely."

"You're very kind to say that m'lord. But..." Donnel's mother sighed. "Well you're a man now, Donny. I s'pose you can make up yer own mind. You just come home safe now. I'll see that th' village's still standing when you come back a hero." She made a shooing motion at him. "Well? Go on then, Glory's awaitin' ya!"

Donnel shook his head. "I ain't fightin' for no glory, ma! I's fightin' for you! But if I do find some glory, I will bring back some for you." "Just come home alive…" his mother murmured.

With that, Donnel waved his village goodbye, and followed the shepherds as they continued their march back to Ylisstol.

**Donnel: Age: 16**

**Class: Villager**


	8. Pages from Robin's Journal (1)

**Author's Notes: So this is the first of many (hopefully) chapters where the plot doesn't move forward at all. It's just a log of what's been happening to Robin and the Shepherds, which may contain a little bit of fluff from time to time. This is also an opportunity for me to show some (but probably not all) of the supports that have occurred as well.**

**Pretty short first one, because there hasn't been too much time that has passed, and also many of the shepherds haven't been introduced yet.**

**March 13th:**

Chrom and Lissa suggested that I keep a journal of everything that has happened since I've lost my memory. At first, I didn't want to, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I should. Who knows? If I lost my memories once before, it could happen again. If that ever happens, it'd be nice to be able to read about what I was like. Maybe that could help with restoring my memories too. This is it for now, I'll be looking to add more pages in the future.

**March 14th:**

Today's my first full day as a shepherd. The day started off well, for most of us. Stahl was upset that he missed breakfast. Some of the more diligent shepherds (like Miriel) packed everything for the trip today last night. Others (like Vaike), hadn't even started yet. Because of that, I had some extra time to read after breakfast. I don't have much to pack, but I did find a really interesting novel in my room last night. "The Waltz of the Three Kingdoms". I'll bring it with me, in case I have some extra time. While we were waiting for everyone to get ready, I overheard Virion and Miriel talking about something, I believe it was fortune telling or something along those lines.

We just reached the the border of Regna Ferox. Along the way, we encountered a group of Risen on our way here. I was a little nervous, because it was the first time I was commanding so many people, but the shepherds follow directions very well, and we killed them off easily. Everyone is pretty tired now, and it's dark out so we're resting here for the night. That's fine by me, because I'll have a lot of extra time to read my book.

**{Insert (Omniscient Point of View, not in the journal): March 14th}**

It was just after everyone had completed breakfast. Virion was resting at one of the tables in the dining hall. He didn't need to pack, frankly, because he didn't have anything to pack. In a sense, he felt extremely lucky that the shepherds have essentially taken him in, because he honestly wouldn't have anywhere to go. Even though it's nowhere near as luxurious as his previous life, his belly's full and he has a place to rest his head at night. That was good enough for now.

Suddenly, a bespectacled female mage walked up to him. "You are Virion, I presume?" The archer looked up at her and smiled. "Ah… my sweet… Er… Miriel, was it? How can I be of service?"

"Well, to be concise, I would like to ask for a favor." Miriel continued.

Virion chuckled. "For you, milady, I'd walk to the ends of the earth and over hot coals in order to-" "I'm studying prognostication, and need you to further explain the art." she interrupted.

Virion was taken aback slightly. "Y-you mean, fortune telling? Well color me surprised! Do tell, why would you approach me for such things? Did someone tell you about my gift?"

"An excellent inquiry." Miriel conceded. "I was informed by the princess of our realm that your fortunes have an exceptional degree of accuracy. Even if they are mere shibboleth, one can acquire hope through such means. This is an area of study that can be acutely fruitful."

Virion paused for a moment, deep in thought. "Hmm. Well, if you say so. But I must tell you this... There's a lot more to fortune-telling than staring at entrails or poking at tea leaves! Please, my dear, I urge you reconsider this request. The path is long and difficult, and I do not wish to subject you to such an ordeal." he finally mustered.

Miriel sighed. "You claimed you would stride across hot coals for me. Was this a falsehood?" "Not a falsehood… but more of a rhetorical flourish!" Virion retorted.

Miriel sighed once again. "So you are refusing my request? How fascinating. I thought my femininity sufficient to ensnare your cooperation. Well then. If you will not proffer aid, would you at least tell my fortune?

Virion replied with a grin. "Now THAT, milady, can be more easily done! I'm more than a little flattered that you're interested.

He reached out his hand. "Allow me to take a look at your palm. Let's see what tomorrow has in store for you…"

Miriel frowned in response. "Must you hold onto my palm whilst you work? I would very much like to be able to take notes."

Virion proceeded to ignore the mage. "Hmm…." he began. "WATER! I see water! You are drenched in… hmm… be careful… something valuable… damaged by water…."

Miriel immediately regained her interest. "Water? You must be more specific. Do you refer to a river or stream? Perhaps rain? Condensation? Fog? Although technically in a gaseous form, fog is-"

"Milady, PLEASE!" Virion interrupted. A fortune is not a textbook! I saw water, and that is all. Where it comes from, I cannot say."

Miriel looked deep in though for a moment. "Such answers would be scoffed at out of any credible journal. But no matter. We shall see tomorrow if your augury bears fruit…"

And with that, the female mage walked away. Virion wiped a bead of sweat of his forehead. "Whew! That was a close one!" he muttered to himself.

**March 15th:**

Yesterday night, I was reading my book while everyone was sleeping I guess. Suddenly, Lissa came over, sat next to me and started leaning on my shoulder. I ended up reading to her, but she fell asleep. She does look pretty adorable when sleeping. I ended up going to her bedroll instead. She was right. The wind did make it pretty cold.

We made it to the capital of Regna Ferox today. After Chrom and Frederick explained to me what the khan was like, I swear I expected a large muscular man. Flavia was clearly not that. She explained the rules of a tourney that would allow her to regain full power if we won. I just finished spending the entire afternoon brainstorming strategies for the upcoming tourney. Chrom is calling me for dinner, so that's all for now.

**March 16th:**

We began to do some final training for the tournament tomorrow. We started with Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour, which I sincerely hope I never will have to do again. I felt like throwing up. I don't understand how Chrom is able to seem fine after a workout like that.

Afterwards, the rest of us began to practice in our own separate ways. I mainly practiced using magic, because I didn't want to have to use Naglrath against soldiers we don't have to kill. Chrom practiced his swordplay and ended up destroying some of the Feroxi training dummies. I saw Sully and Stahl go off towards the stables, probably to retrieve their horses for mounted training.

**{Insert: March 16th}**

Sully and Stahl had been sparring for about an hour in the large Feroxi training arena meant for fighters on horseback. The place empty because the Feroxi army does not have many cavaliers. That was fine by the two of them, because it gave them an opportunity to practice without any interruptions from outsiders.

"Whew! That was a pretty great training session!" Stahl exclaimed as he wiped his brow. "Thanks a lot Sully, I'm gonna go find a place to go wash up."

As he began to leave, Sully grabbed onto his shoulder. "Hey! Where do you think you're going? Are you giving up so soon? What a wimp!"

"W-wimp!?" Stahl protested. "I'm just taking Robin's advice. He said we shouldn't work too hard today!" "That's your excuse?" The crimson cavalier replied. "He meant it for those COMPETING tomorrow. For us, we can train until our guts spill out if we want to." Stahl laughed nervously. "Except, I DON'T want to spill my guts today. I just want to fill them."

Sully shook her head. "How can you call yourself a knight if you crap out so soon? The legendary knights that served Marth would never give up so easily." Stahl's eyes lit up. "Oh! You mean Cain and Abel right? I know that one! They're the 'Bull' and 'Panther' from the old stories!"

Sully nodded. "That's the type of strength we need in the shepherds. And that's the type of strength I aspire to have." Stahl shrugged. "Well sure, who wouldn't want to be like those heroes that people sing songs about? Except I don't think I have that in me. I'm more of a… mellow type." Sully laughed. "Then take that attitude over to the kitchen, ya damned scullery maid! I plan to run circles around those rusty old legends."

Stahl sighed in defeat. "You really are something else, Sully. But you're also right, I could afford to be a little more forceful in my training." "Damn right!" Sully grinned. "And I won't stop training until I'm built like the Bull!"

"Haha… I'm sure that you'll…" Stahl suddenly realized something. "Wait… you're the Bull in this scenario?" "You got a problem with that?" Sully retorted. "No, no! That's totally fine!" Stahl stammered as he held his hands up defensively. "So I guess I'm the Panther then, huh? Yeesh! I guess I have my work cut out for me."

"Exactly. Now the only way we become better is to keep working hard while other people are resting, ya understand?" Sully continued. "So quit your whining, and get back atop that horse, we aren't even halfway done yet!"

Stahl sighed once again. "Alright." he conceded. "Let's keep going." He got back on his horse and the pair continued to train.

**March 17th:**

Today is the day of the tournament. After breakfast, I took Chrom aside and asked him a question about why he took me in. I'm not quite sure why I did it, but I felt like I should remind Chrom to be more cautious. Looking back, it may not have been the best idea to bring it up before we fought against the West Khan's champions, but what's done is done.

We ended up winning the tourney extremely handily. We didn't lose a single person and defeated all nine of our opponents. I was a little bit concerned about the armored knight that Miriel melted, but from what the infirmary tells me, he'll make a full recovery in the matter of days. What's unique about the West Khan's champions is that the roster included the masked swordsman. I wonder who he really is.

After the tourney, we received help in the form of an alliance with Regna Ferox. The West Khan also contributed by giving us his old champion, Lon'qu. He seems extremely capable and I look forward to seeing what that guy is capable of. We are about to begin our trip back to Ylisstol. We'll be resting at the longfort again on our way back. That's it for now, everyone is getting ready to march.

**{Insert: March 17th} **

It was just after breakfast was served. Robin walked up to Chrom as the shepherds were all filing out of the dining room.

"Can I ask you something, Chrom?" he suddenly asked the prince of Ylisse. Chrom grinned. "Uh-oh, should I be nervous?"

"When you found me collapsed and without memory, why did you take me in?" Robin inquired. Chrom cocked his head. "Well... Because you were collapsed and without memory?" he replied.

"So it was out of pity then?" Robin asked. "Well, isn't that enough?" Chrom retorted. "Did you ever think about if it were some sort of trap?" Robin countered back. This only caused the prince to laugh. "Well, that's what I have Frederick for."

Robin sighed in exasperation. Before he could begin again, Chrom spoke. "Robin, if I see someone hurt or in need, I'm going to help them. That's just who I am, and there's no changing it." He grinned. "Or would you rather I'd left you there, face down in the muck?"

"N-no…" Robin began. "I'm thankful for what you did, truly. But it scares me all the same. Chivalry and longevity do not go often hand in hand.

Chrom laughed once again. "I wish I had a gold coin for every time I got this lecture." "I can only offer advice, I'm afraid. You really should be more careful in the future." Robin shrugged.

Chrom placed his hand on Robin's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but no. If it happened again today, I'd do the same exact thing."

"But-" Robin began. "Peace, Robin." Chrom interrupted. "I have heard your counsel, and I know you mean well. But as I said, this is who I am. I can't change that, nor would I want to."

Robin finally nodded. "I understand. If that is your decision, then so be it. Just do try and be careful, Chrom. For my peace of mind, if not your own?" "I will. I promise." Chrom agreed.

**March 18th:**

Today we made our way back towards Ylisstol. On our way, we ran into Donnel, a farmboy that lived in a village terrorized by bandits. We helped him eliminate the threat, and Donnel asked to be allowed to join the Shepherds. Chrom agreed. Frederick tells me that Donnel seems to have a lot of potential, and with good training, he'll become a formidable soldier. I look forward to what Donnel is able to accomplish.


	9. The Exalt and the King

**Author's Notes:**

**So it's been a while, at least by my standards, since I've last posted a chapter. However, it's not really realistic for me to post a chapter every couple of days in the long run. As the chapters begin to go deeper into the game, there will be increasingly more things to write about in every chapter, which will probably mean it will take a similar amount of time to post a single chapter.**

**That being said, I get the feeling that the next chapter will contain a little bit of fluff as well as the procession of the plot.**

**In the meantime, enjoy chapter 9.**

**Inside Ylisstol's Castle**

Chrom and the shepherds had just returned to Ylisstol. They first stopped at the shepherd's garrison and Chrom dismissed most of the shepherds. Most of them were eager to have some well deserved rest. After asking Sumia and Stahl to find an empty room for the new shepherd, Donnel, the prince led Frederick, Lissa and Robin to the castle. However, Frederick and Robin have elected to wait outside the throne room as Chrom went to give his report.

Emmeryn greeted them when they entered the throne room. Chrom grinned, and announced that Regna Ferox will forge an alliance with Ylisse.

Emmeryn's lips also moved up slightly in a smile. "Then Regna Ferox will support Ylisse? Thank you Chrom. I knew sending you was the right choice."

Chrom scratched the back of his head. "Well, I wouldn't have been able to convince them without the help of the shepherds, and especially not without the help of Robin."

Suddenly, the captain of the Pegasus knights, Phila, ran in urgently. "Your Grace!" she began, before noticing Chrom as well. "Milord! Forgive me, but I bring alarming news."

Emmeryn didn't panic. "Phila, slow down, please. What happened?"

"Plegian soldiers have been spotted inside our southwest border!" The blunette replied. "They attacked a village in Themis and abducted the Duke's daughter!"

Lissa thought for a moment. "The Duke's daughter? But… that would be Maribelle!" She turned to her brother. "Chrom! We have to do something!"

"There's more." Phila continued. "King Gangrel of Plegia claims that Lady Maribelle invaded HIS country. He demands we pay him reparations for this 'insult'."

Chrom shook his head. "And we're to believe a dastard like the Mad King of Plegia?"

Emmeryn held up her hand. "Peace, Chrom. We must keep our wits about us. All Gangrel wants is to provoke us as much as possible."

"We should put a sword in his gut and be done with it!" Chrom continued. "The Mad King has been trying to provoke war with Ylisse at every step! He won't stop until he drags this whole continent to hell with him!"

Phila nodded her head. "I agree with the prince, Your Grace. We must show the Mad King that his actions have consequences."

Emmeryn sighed. "I understand your feelings, Chrom. Truly I do. But if we give him the war he wants, then we lose, no matter what the outcome. Our last conflict nearly ruined the halidom. It left Ylisseans homeless and starving. We cannot repeat that mistake."

She furrowed her eyebrows in resolve. "I will offer parley with King Gangrel. We will meet with him tomorrow, at the Border Pass."

"Please reconsider, Your Grace!" Phila protested. "He can't be trusted to act in good faith!" "So then we are to just leave Lady Maribelle to die?" Emmeryn responded. "No, I cannot accept that."

Phila nodded. "Forgive me, I spoke out of turn. However, if you are going, allow my Pegasus knights to accompany you."

"I'm going too!" Chrom interjected. "I'll have the shepherds armed and ready, in case Gangrel tries anything."

"And I want to be there for both you AND Maribelle!" Lissa added. This brought a smile to the Exalt's face. "Thank you all. Your strength will be mine."

As Chrom and Lissa walked out, they were greeted by both Robin and Frederick.

"So how'd it go?" asked the tactician. "You were in there for a long time. And we saw Phila run past us. She seemed to be in a hurry to report something."

"We must inform the shepherds that we are going to be following Emmeryn when she parleys with Gangrel tomorrow." Chrom informed him. "Long story short, Gangrel kidnapped Maribelle but claims she was trespassing."

Robin frowned. "I guess we are expecting a fight then? I'll try to find a strategy that will give us the best chance of winning. Do you mind showing me a map of where we are going?"

Chrom nodded. "Yes, that is for the best. I will show you as soon as we get back to the garrison."

"If you'll excuse me, milord…" Frederick began. "I know your mind is already occupied right now, but as Robin and I were waiting outside, some of the palace staff informed us of a rumor circulating, about how there is a bounty of milady Lissa's head."

"M-me!?" Lissa stammered. "W-why?" Chrom shook his head. "You're royalty. That enough is a reason. I'll look into it and assign someone to guard her then. But for now, we need to make our way back to the shepherds.

"So how come there isn't a bounty on YOUR head?" Lissa protested to Chrom, only to find that he already began to walk away. "Hey! You big jerk! Get back here!" she angrily huffed after him.

Robin chuckled, and followed suit with Frederick. They began to head back towards the shepherd's garrison.

**At the Shepherd's Garrison**

Chrom had just informed the shepherds of their plans for tomorrow. Robin was in his room, studying the topography of the location and thinking of a plan, and Lon'qu was in his own room but other than that, everyone was present.

Aside from Vaike and Sully, who were excited about the prospect of another fight, no one really took the news too well.

"We just got back!" Stahl protested. "And we already have plans tomorrow?"

"I must admit, this would put my research behind quite some time." Miriel nodded in agreement.

"We have to do it for Maribelle, though. She's one of us!" Lissa interjected. This was met with murmurs of agreement and eventually, everyone conceded.

"Take the rest of the day off, everyone." Chrom said with resolve. "But be ready to march at a moments notice tomorrow."

As everyone left, Frederick approached Chrom. "Milord, I have finished talking with Lon'qu. He has agreed to accept your request."

Chrom nodded. "Excellent. Thank you, Frederick." The Great Knight bowed. "It is my duty to serve, milord. My only concern is if milady Lissa will have an issue with it."

Chrom laughed. "Knowing Lissa, I'm sure she'll be completely fine with it. Come, let's see if Robin has come up with a strategy yet."

The two made their way to Robin's room. Chrom knocked on the door, but received no response. Chrom walked in, and saw Robin sitting at a desk. The tactician was working hard, scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment.

He walked up to Robin and placed a hand on his shoulder. "So? How's it been going?"

Robin tapped his forehead a couple of times with the end of the quill pen. "Pretty good actually. The main thing that needs to be done is to conceal the shepherds at the beginning of the parley. This would allow us for maximal protection of the Exalt while not necessarily sacrificing the immediate trust of the Plegians. Let them believe we are really there to converse peacefully, but be ready in case they go back on their word."

Chrom nodded. "That is a good idea. I don't think I would have been able to come up with it had I been the tactician."

"But that's not all." Robin continued. "If the books I read here are correct, Plegia has multiple regiments of wyvern riders. Arrows and magic are good against them, but things will be a lot easier if we also have wyrmslayers and the like…"

"My falchion can easily cut through the hide of a wyvern." Chrom offered. "It was made to be able to damage dragons."

Robin let out a sigh of relief. "Well, I did not know that. It's extremely good for us, and it makes our chances of winning shoot up. Still…. I think it'd be good to check our armories. If we have one laying somewhere, we might as well bring it along."

Chrom nodded. "Right, I'll make sure Frederick does a sweep for us."

Robin smiled. "Thanks. That will be really helpful. I'll go around later and talk to everyone about their assigned tasks. Are there any special arrangements I should be aware of?" Chrom frowned. "Special arrangements?" Robin nodded. "Yeah, like anyone that you would like me to keep together in my strategy?" Chrom placed a hand on his chin in contemplation. "Oh, that's right. I assigned Lon'qu to be the personal bodyguard of Lissa." It was now Robin's turn to frown. "You gave that job to Lon'qu? He just joined the shepherds. You really trust him that much?" Chrom smiled and raised his hands defensively. "Look, I remember what we talked about. But I think it'd be weird to ask someone with us for a long time to look after Lissa specifically. And besides…" he continued. "If the West Khan was correct, Lon'qu is a very capable fighter. He'll keep Lissa safe."

Robin sighed in exasperation. "I guess having trust is what makes you such a great leader…." Chrom bumped his tactician's shoulder with his fist. "That might be, but we'd be nowhere near as effective without the guidance of a capable tactician." Robin grinned. "I guess you could say we are two halves of a greater whole." Chrom smiled back at him. "Yes, I suppose you can say that."

**Later that night…**

It was getting late, and almost everyone had retreated to their rooms for the night. Robin made sure to talk to everyone individually after dinner to give them their assigned roles for the following day.

Chrom was just about to return to his room at the Shepherd's garrison for the night as well. He found that sleeping here instead of at the palace put his mind at peace right before a long day's march. Suddenly, a short, male mage approached him.

"Captain! I'm all packed, we leave tomorrow morning, right?" the boy asked.

Chrom turned to face him. "Ricken? How did you…." he shook his head. "Well unpack your things. You're not old enough for this mission."

"But captain!" the boy protested. "You know my skill with magic! You know I can handle myself!"

Chrom sighed. "Yes, but I'll feel… safer knowing you're here, protecting the garrison." with that, the prince turned around and began to leave. "Be good!" he said as he waved his hand dismissively.

Once Chrom was out of earshot, Ricken began to pout. "Be good?!" he muttered to himself. "Well I'll show him just how good I can be!" With that, he went back to his own room to get a good night's rest. After all, if he woke up too late and missed everyone leaving, he would also miss his chance to prove Chrom wrong.

With that, the final two shepherds made their way back to their rooms. Despite the potential for war breaking out the following day, everyone slept soundly.

**The very next day…**

Chrom, Lissa and Emmeryn walked up to the Border Pass in plain sight of the Plegians. What the Plegians could not see were the shepherds stealthily tailing them from a distance in the heavy woods. The Plegians lying in wait licked their lips at the prospect of an easy assassination of the Exalt.

King Gangrel was the first to speak when the Ylisseans drew near. "What's this? The exalt herself in all her radiance? I fear I must shield my eyes!" He proceeded to laugh maniacally.

Emmeryn ignored him. "King Gangrel, I've come to find the truth of the unfortunate incidence between our two nations." She calmly replied.

An ebony woman with white hair spoke before the king could open his mouth again. "The truth? I can give you the truth."

Emmeryn frowned. "Perhaps milady could first share her name?" In response, she simply got a scoff. "You may call me Aversa."

Emmeryn nodded. "Very well, Aversa. Is Lady Maribelle unharmed?"

"Who?" King Gangrel frowned. "Oh, yes, the little blonde brat." He made a gesture towards someone behind him. A brigand nudged Maribelle forward a few steps. Her wrists were bound by rope. "Unhand me, you gutter born troglodyte!" she yelled in protest.

"Maribelle!" Lissa exclaimed when she saw her best friend. "L-Lissa?!" the girl in question stammered in surprise. "Darling is that you?"

"This girl crossed the Plegian border without our consent." Aversa continued. "And what's more… she wounded the brave, Plegian soldiers who sought only to escort her home…."

"LIES!" protested a furious Maribelle. "You speak nothing but lies, hag! Did they not teach you the meaning of the word 'truth' in wretched-crone school?"

Aversa shook her head. "You see? No manners at all. Such a nasty little bird just had to be caged…" Gangrel nodded in agreement. "Such a violent temper speaks of her guilt. This must call for a weighty punishment. And if she were to later confess to be a Ylissean spy?" he pretended to fan himself at the thought. "My goodness! It would take an act of CONSIDERABLE good faith to repair our relations."

"I have done nothing wrong!" Maribelle protested once more. "It is they who should confess! They are the ones that invaded Ylisse! They razed an entire village! When I attempted to intervene, they took me and dragged me across the border. Let the plundered shops and charred homes of the village serve as my proof!"

Gangrel only shook his head. "That only proves that Ylisse has a bandit problem… something I hear oft of late." He nodded in fake conviction. "But indeed, tonight I will weep salty tears into my pillow for your dead villagers."

"Your Grace, Please!" Maribelle begged.

"Peace Maribelle, I believe you." The exalt replied. She then turned to Gangrel. "I request that you release this woman at once. Surely you and I can handle these affairs without the need of hostages."

Gangrel only scoffed. "Without so much as an apology? Why should I even bother with a parley? I'm within my rights to have her head this moment and be back home by supper."

"You black hearted devil!" Chrom finally yelled. This caused the Mad King to snarl. "Control your dog, my dear, before someone gets hurt." he then recomposed himself. "Now, I'm thinking we can arrange a trade? Just give me the Fire Emblem, and I'll return this wench here in one piece."

Emmeryn frowned. "You would ask for Ylisse's national treasure? But why?" At this, the Mad King began to laugh. "Because I NEED the emblem!" He waved his hand dismissively. "You don't need to know the details, but it's one more part needed for my plan to come together."

"The Emblem is meant to save the world and its people in the hour they need it the most." Emmeryn replied. "I cannot give it to you."

"Plegia has not forgotten what Ylisse has done to them." Gangrel continued. "Someday, we will return to her what she has done to us, tenfold! Now give me the Emblem!"

With that, several Plegian soldiers rushed forward. Chrom slashed the first one that ran at Emmeryn down. "Stay back! Otherwise you all will suffer the same fate!"

Gangrel laughed as his soldiers began to surround the three Ylisseans. "Now that's a declaration of war if I've ever heard one! A big, messy war that will bleed you Ylisseans dry! Tell me, what do you plan to do? You can't win against all my soldiers; you're just three helpless people." He raised his sword in the air. "Charge! Kill all three of them!" His soldiers responded by cheering as they ran towards the seemingly unprepared Ylisseans.

The Mad King laughed. "I have my war! Captain Orton! I'm returning back to the palace. Stay here and kill as many Ylisseans as you can! You can expect reinforcements from the forts." With that, the king left, with Aversa in tow. The soldiers rallied around Orton the wyvern rider and prepared to follow his lead.

Suddenly, a trio of cavaliers rushed out from the woods to the Plegian's right. The Plegian soldiers were caught off guard and two axemen were immediately killed by Frederick's silver lance. Another was stabbed and slashed by Sully's iron lance and Stahl's new wyrmslayer. (Frederick had rummaged through the entire royal armory to find it.)

On the Plegian's left, Kellam seemed to appear out of nowhere and slammed his shield into an unsuspecting lancer. This bought enough time for Donnel to run in and stab the soldier through the chest, killing him instantly. Nearby, Vaike cut down another axeman while being supported by Miriel from afar. A few steps away, Sumia pulled her lance out of the chest of a Plegian mercenary trying to run at the blonde axe fighter.

Arrows flew out of the woods at the soldiers charging head on towards Chrom. As many of the Plegian soldiers drew close, two figures ran out to join the blue haired prince in the defense of Lissa and Emmeryn. Robin whirled his scythe around, easily dismembering an enemy mercenary. As the blade cut through the Plegian's arm, the flesh around the wound began to turn pale. Robin finished the soldier with a clean slash across his throat. Meanwhile, Lon'qu's killing edge was a blur, felling two enemy axemen in the matter of seconds.

In the chaos, Phila was able to fly in on her pegasus and she promptly escorted the Exalt to safety. They landed a few hundred meters away. Her pegasus knights, unfortunately, were unable to contribute too much, other than distract the majority of the wyvern riders. Although pegasi have a speed advantage, wyvern's are, in general, much tougher and durable than a pegasi. All it takes is one good swing from an axe and a pegasus knight would fall to her death, whereas several strikes with a lance might barely scratch the tough hide of a wyvern. Nevertheless, they did relieve some pressure from the rest of the shepherds.

Chrom looked at the organized Ylisseans beating back the Plegians and looked up at Orton with a smirk. "Helpless, am I right?"

**A few moments earlier….**

The shepherds were all lying in wait, watch Robin for a signal to attack. Many of them heard Gangrel and Emmeryn's conversation, and couldn't help but feel angrier and angrier. Stahl had to hold Sully back because the redhead was about to explode in frustration. Frederik was in a similar position, feeling quite unsettled by the way Gangrel was talking to the royal family.

"Hold on for just a bit longer." Robin whispered to those around him. "We have the advantage in the sense that Gangrel doesn't know we're here right now. If we utilize the advantage of surprise, we can take down many of them before they're organized enough to launch a counterattack."

Although it was difficult, the shepherds listened to Robin's advice. They clenched their teeth and held on.

Robin felt quite confident that his plan would work. He already knew the general location of Maribelle because it was displayed as a green unit on his Hekseer. They would take down the Plegian force first, and then go straight for Maribelle. What he did not notice was a second green icon waiting just a short distance from her location...

Finally, Robin saw the Mad King leave as waves of Plegian soldiers began to run towards Chrom, Emmeryn and Lissa.

"Now!" he shouted. "Remember what you've been assigned!" With that, the shepherds instantly mobilized, and began to move in a pincer formation. Robin ran towards Chrom with Lon'qu tailing close behind him and began to engage the enemy.

**Meanwhile…**

Ricken was extremely impressed with himself. He managed to find out Robin's plan by simply bribing Stahl with some food. He realized that the shepherds were supposed to stay hidden, and used this information to sneakily move around both the shepherds and the Plegians.

Finally, he ended up about a hundred meters away from Maribelle and the brigand assigned to guard her. He patiently bided his time, waiting for Robin and the others to make a move first.

Finally, the Plegians began to stir. 'Robin must have made his move.' Ricken thought to himself. He heard the brigand guarding Maribelle muttering something to himself about "not getting to have any fun."

Ricken took out his Elwind tome and prepared to cast a spell. "Take this!" he yelled, startling both the Plegian and the girl he'd been guarding. He threw a blade of wind with perfect accuracy, ripping through the pectoral muscles of the guard, instantly killing him.

"Ricken?!" Maribelle exclaimed in disbelief. "What are YOU doing here?" Ricken simply laughed. "C'mon, we can talk about it later, let's get out of here first!" He drew a small knife he'd kept from breakfast just for this moment. After cutting the ropes binding Maribelle's hands, he grabbed one and pulled her towards the direction of Chrom and the shepherds.

**Back with Robin…**

They had been fighting for about fifteen minutes now. The shepherds, having fought off the primary wave of the Plegian assault, had extremely high morale as they grouped around Chrom, Lissa and the Exalt.

"What do we do now?" Chrom turned to Robin. "Now…" Robin began as he fished out his Hekseer. "We send Sumia with Chrom to… here?" He looked at the map displayed by Hekseer in confusion.

"Something wrong?" Chrom asked. Robin shook his head, not believing what he was seeing. "Someone already beat us to Maribelle." Most of the shepherds froze at the revelation while Lissa blanched.

"N-no… not Maribelle…." Lissa whimpered as tears began to form in her eyes. "Damn them!" Chrom gritted his teeth.

"N-no!" Robin stammered. "I didn't mean it that way! I was surprised there was someone that I didn't account for. It seems to be a male mage proficient in wind magic that got to her first. He's really short though."

At this, the shepherds deadpanned. "Ricken." Sully stated. "The guy you're describing has to be Ricken." No one noticed Stahl look away guiltily.

"S-so… she's-Maribelle's all right?" Lissa sniffled. Robin nodded. "As of right now, yes. But there are some wyvern riders coming in from the north. We have to get to them first." At the confirmation of Maribelle's safety, Lissa launched herself at Robin in a hug, nearly making him drop his Hekseer.

Chrom cleared his throat, and Lissa pulled away sheepishly. "So then, what's the plan?" the prince asked.

"Although certainly not expected, this is actually pretty good for us. Sully, Stahl, Kellam and Frederick, your two pairs will ride north and meet with Ricken and Maribelle. Go!" The four in question instantly mounted up. Robin noticed Vaike stifling a chuckle out of the corner of his eye at the sight of Kellam and Frederick on top of the same horse.

Ignoring the axeman, Robin turned to Chrom and Sumia. "Next, you two will fly up and rendezvous with them as well. You should be able to arrive first. Don't try to engage the wyverns in the air, as they have an advantage over pegasus knights. Instead, try and bait them towards the ground where Chrom will have an easier time dealing with them." The two nodded, got on Sumia's pegasus and flew off.

Robin then turned to address Virion and Vaike. "Vaike, you have the important task of escorting Virion towards them. Once you're there, shoot down as many wyverns as you can." He made eye contact with the blonde axe fighter. "This is an important job. If Virion gets injured, our chances of success go down dramatically." Vaike grinned. "You can always count on ol' Teach!" The two rapidly went off after the cavaliers.

"Next," Robin turned to the remaining shepherds. "We have the task of guarding this location. If the Plegians take this point, we will not be able to leave the mountain unless we kill all of the Plegians. If we secure Chrom and the others a way out, we can leave with possibly no casualties." Everyone nodded. "Lon'qu, Donnel and I will serve as our frontline. Miriel and Lissa, support us from behind." Everyone scrambled into position.

A few Plegian soldiers ran at them from the West. Lon'qu took the lead and slashed the throat of an oncoming brigand. Robin followed suit and cleaved another one in half. Donnel stabbed at a mercenary. "Git away!" the farmboy shouted as he brandished his weapon. Although he wasn't quite strong enough to finish the Plegian off, Miriel gave him some assistance by blasting the mercenary with a fireball.

More Plegians ran at them, but under the lead of Robin and Lon'qu, the few shepherds were able to hold them off. As Lon'qu pulled his killing edge out of the corpse of another brigand when we heard a shout of alarm from Robin. He turned his head and noticed a Plegian dark mage aim a spell at Lissa. 'No!' the former Feroxi champion thought as he raced towards the mage.

He dove in front of the flux spell that was meant for Lissa and immediately cried out in pain. "Lon'qu!" Lissa shouted in alarm. Lissa and Robin both raced towards Lon'qu's location from different directions. While Lissa's intentions were to heal Lon'qu, Robin's was to remove the dark mage from the picture.

Due to the innate difficulty of using dark spells (and possibly the lack of skill from the user), the mage was unable to fire off a second spell in quick succession. As he began the incantation for a second spell, he was beheaded by a quick swing of Robin's scythe. The last thing he saw was nothing.

"It's not healing fast enough!" Lissa yelled in despair. The flux spell had hit Lon'qu directly on his shoulder, burning through his clothes. The flesh around the wound had begun to turn purple.

"Here." Robin said as he knelt down. "Cover us, Donnel and Miriel!" was the last thing the tactician ordered before kneeling down before the fallen myrmidon.

Robin placed his head over the wounded shoulder and a faint glow of energy began to emanate from his hand."W-what are you doing?" Lon'qu asked in confusion. "I'm using quintessence to heal your shoulder." Robin explained. "Staves have been known to not work as effectively on wounds caused by dark magic or poisons, but quintessence can bypass that." As he spoke, the wound began to slowly disappear, and the flesh began to return to its natural color.

"The downside is… *pant* using quintessence to heal drains me pretty quickly." Robin explained. "Then why'd you do it? We need you to command the shepherds." Lon'qu scowled, but sat up feeling much better.

Robin waved his hand dismissively. "You're a better fighter than I am anyways. And besides, I can always find a safe place to direct the battle." He pointed at Donnel, who was busy engaging a Plegian spear fighter. "He looks like he could use your help." With that, Lon'qu got up and ran to help the struggling farmboy.

"He dove in front of that spell for me… didn't he?" Lissa whispered. Robin opened his mouth to speak, but Lissa didn't give him the chance to. "If only I were stronger, I could defend myself. I couldn't even heal him when he got hurt. I wish I weren't so useless!"

Robin wrapped an arm around the sullen princess's shoulder. "You're a vital component to the shepherds." he promised. "And besides, we all help each other out. Where would Chrom be if you hadn't healed him when he was shot by that Risen archer?" At this, Lissa's expression softened. "You're right. Robin." she smiled sweetly. "I'll continue to help by doing what I do best!" she got up, and readied her staff, in case someone else got hurt.

Meanwhile, Robin was feeling light headed from healing Lon'qu. So he decided to sit tight and pull out his Hekseer in order to check on Chrom's group.

**With Chrom**

Chrom flew towards Maribelle and Ricken atop Sumia's pegasus. He saw the young mage blast one wyvern out of the sky after another using his wind magic. The pair flew past the bewildered mage and troubadour directly towards an oncoming wyvern rider. The blue haired prince jumped off the pegasus and allowed Sumia to rapidly elevate into the air. The wyvern lifted his head towards the pegasus, but was instantly killed by a slash across its throat by the dragon slaying Falchion. Its rider quickly met the same fate.

"C-captain?!" Ricken exclaimed in surprise. "I must admit, you did a good job here." Chrom said, addressing the boy. "But don't let your guard down, we're not out of the woods yet." Ricken nodded in affirmation as he readied another Elwind spell.

Chrom engaged a brigand running towards him, which he easily killed. Ricken launched a spell at an oncoming myrmidon, but his opponent was too quick. The Plegian dodged the wind spell and almost reached his target. Almost. He was not able to dodge the silver lance that impaled him from the side.

"Frederick! Kellam!" Ricken exclaimed. "Even Stahl and Sully, you all came too!" The Great Knight nodded. "Under orders from Robin. Stay towards the back." "But I can fight too!" Ricken protested. "We know you can." Came the reply from Stahl. "But you've already done enough already. Let us share in the heavy lifting." Sully smirked. "Wow, that didn't sound like Stahl the meek at all!" This was met with a cry of protest from the viridian knight.

Under the guidance of Chrom, the larger group of Shepherds easily held off the oncoming Plegians. When Vaike and Virion arrived, it was no contest. The wyvern riders were shot out of the sky before they could even close the distance between the two groups. Sometimes it was due to Virion's arrows, and other times it was because of Ricken's wind tome.

The only soldiers that had any luck closing in were the footsoldiers. However, they were pretty much massacred as soon as they got close. No one was able to get past the wall that was Frederick, Kellam, Sully, Stahl and Chrom. Sumia even threw in a javelin from time to time.

Pretty soon, Orton became extremely frustrated by how things were going. "Bah! What a useless group of morons!" he muttered to himself. "Must I do everything myself?"

He began to fly towards the unsuspecting shepherds.

It was clear why Orton was able to become a captain. His skill on wyvern-back was a level above his soldiers. He weaved past the arrows and spells launched at him, and rapidly closed in on the shepherds.

"Chrom!" Sumia cried in alarm. "That wyvern is getting close to us!"

Chrom ran to meet Orton head on. The Plegian captain cleaved the air in front of him, expecting to hit the Ylissean prince, but Chrom just rolled out of the way. Chrom tried to slash at the exposed underbelly of Orton's mount, but the wyvern quickly elevated out of reach due to Orton's quick thinking.

Sumia threw a javelin at him, hoping to catch the Plegian off guard, but Orton easily knocked it away with a swing of him axe. He ordered his wyvern to swing its tail around, lashing out at Chrom, and knocking the prince over.

He prepared to descend and land the finishing blow, but was intercepted by Sully and Frederick. "You are so dead!" Stahl yelled as he rode in with his wyrmslayer. He slashed at the wyvern's wing, tearing the leathery membrane apart with a single swing. The wyvern descended slightly, which enabled Chrom to drive his Falchion into the neck of the beast, killing it and causing Orton to fall off.

Orton got to his feet, but was cut down instantly by a combination of Kellam's lance and Vaike's axe. Virion even shot an arrow through the Plegian's chest.

"This… matters not…" The Plegian captain said with his dying breath. "Soon… the war will be upon…. your soil…" With that, his body went limp.

"Come on," Chrom motioned to the shepherds let's head back to Robin's location. As they began to move back towards the others, he heard Robin talk into his mind. {It looks like things are almost done on your end. Hurry back, and let's head back home.}

Chrom urged the everyone to hurry up, and before long, the two groups were reunited at the foot of the mountain.

Chrom wondered, but didn't say anything when he saw Robin leaning on Lon'qu for support, especially since the myrmidon had a patch of clothing missing from his left shoulder.

"Great work everyone, the plan was executed extremely well." Robin complemented the group.

"What happened?" Sully asked what everyone else didn't. Robin waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing, I just need a little rest and I'll be right as rain." For the most part, everyone was content enough with that explanation, although some still had their suspicions.

The group made their way back to where Phila and the Exalt were waiting. They were, for the most part, laughing and sharing tales of their heroics during the last fight. The one person that was not in such a good mood was Maribelle.

"I'm sorry I made trouble for all of you…" Robin heard her murmur. The rest of the shepherds responded with various versions of 'it wasn't your fault', or 'it was no trouble'. Robin even heard someone, presumably Vaike, say 'it's not like we had anything better to do'.

Overall, however, the mood was pretty light. It wasn't until they were just in front of Emmeryn before everyone calmed down and became more serious.

"Forgive me Emm, I acted rashly." Chrom apologized.

The exalt shook her head. "It's all right, Chrom. King Gangrel is the one at fault here. You were only protecting me."

"The Mad King will be rallying his forces, if they are not already mobilized. " Frederick interjected. "We should make haste for Ylisstol, so we can discuss a strategy."

"Of course, sir Frederick." The exalt agreed. "It seems war is upon us. We must protect the people of Ylisse at all costs."

With that, the shepherds began to head back to Ylisstol. The mood as they marched back was not as light hearted as many of them realized the severity of what had just transpired. Suddenly being at war is not a feeling most of them were accustomed to. It was barely midday, and yet the events that had occurred that morning made it feel as if at least two days had passed. The shepherds didn't talk much, often creating large moments of awkward silence. Vaike tried his best to break the silence, and everyone was thankful for the effort, but the mood just wasn't right.

Once they got back to Ylisstol, the shepherds were dismissed to go rest for the day. Chrom and Frederick remained at the castle to attend some emergency meetings due to the sudden declaration of war.

Most of the shepherds immediately headed for the shower house or their own rooms. Lon'qu and Lissa, however, helped Robin return to his room, and assisted him in laying down on his bed.

"Thanks again for today." Lissa said with a smile. "I…" she turned to Lon'qu for a second. "We really appreciate it." This earned a grunt of agreement from the myrmidon.

Robin smiled as his eyelids began to become unbearably heavy. Reluctantly, he closed his eyes. "Sweet dreams!" was the last thing he heard from the Ylissean princess before he succumbed to the urgent beckoning of sleep.

By the time Robin awoke from his nap, it was already nighttime.

**Maribelle: Age: 17**

**Class: Troubadour**

**Ricken: Age: 16**

**Class: Mage**


	10. Foreseer

**Author's Notes: **

**So it turns out, I had a lot of time over the weekend to do some writing, and so I have the next chapter done already.**

**I didn't really make it clear earlier, because it frankly hadn't occurred to me that the exact location of the shepherd's garrison was never mentioned. I've decided that the garrison will be located in Ylisstol, but not in the castle. However, it is located fairly close to the Ylissean Royal Castle.**

**At least compared to the chapters so far, there is a bit more fluff in this chapter than usual. I even briefly reveal the very first pairing of characters! (It's subtle though, so you'll have to pay attention to find it.) Also, bonus points to anyone that knows what historical text in real life that I'm referring to.**

**With that, enjoy chapter 10:**

**Robin's room**

Robin awoke from his slumber feeling quite refreshed. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes. He looked out his window to find that the sun had already set. Feeling a rumbling in his stomach, Robin got up to go to the dining hall.

When he arrived, many of the shepherds were still there, laughing and enjoying each others' company, the morbid feeling of the war looming over them didn't seem to have any major effects. He got some food from Sumia, the cook for the evening and found an empty table to sit at.

He didn't stay alone for long. Maribelle was the first to come sit next to him. "Sir Robin, I came to offer my humble thanks for you part in my rescue." she told him. "I know I may not have been as friendly to you as many of the others when you first arrived, but now I can see that you're a good person."

Robin swallowed the food he'd been chewing. "It's no problem, really. I was just doing my job. Really, Ricken was the one that did the hard part." The boy in question had been showered with attention and praise for his ingenuity and braveness when they had returned. Maribelle nodded. "Yes, I am thankful for him, and I am thankful for you. I cannot use weapons, but I am decently skilled with a staff. It would be an honor to receive commands from you."

Robin smiled. "Thank you for your support, Maribelle." With that, the troubadour left him to finish his meal. As he ate, he was able to enjoy the scene of Vaike participating in a drinking game with Stahl. Everyone was watching and laughing as Stahl lost handily. Sully was having an arm wrestling competition with Kellam. Even the usually more serious Miriel had a smirk on her face.

Robin smiled. Even though he didn't have many memories, even though, he was happy. Happy with the ones he currently had. Happy with the friends he'd made since he awoke that day out in the field. He finished his meal, returned his dishes to the kitchen, and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.

As he walked into the courtyard, he spotted Chrom looking off into the distance. He walked closer, and heard the prince let out a sigh.

"Chrom?" Robin asked as he approached him. "What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, hello Robin." The prince replied. "I'm just dueling with some unpleasant thoughts. About my father, and the history of Ylisse and Plegia."

Robin nodded in understanding. "I think I read about it in the books in the library. Didn't he wage a war across Plegia that left both nations in tatters?"

Chrom left out a nervous chuckle. "Yes, I suppose you could say that. As the war went on, Ylisse began to expend more and more resources, including people. Eventually, farmers who could barely fight were conscripted and sent to their deaths on the battlefield. I remember those dark times… and how they affected Emmeryn."

"Yes, I bet such an experience would change anyone." Robin agreed.

"When our father died just before her tenth year, he left her quite the legacy." Chrom continued. "Plegia's desire for vengeance, our own people's hatred of the war, Emm became the scapegoat for both sides. Our people began to hurl insults… and stones. She still bears the scars from one…. No one ever saw her pain… no one but me and Lissa."

Robin frowned. "It must have been so hard for her."

"I don't know how she does it." Chrom conceded. "I, for one, would not greet such hostility with warmth and patience. While our people mocked and vilified her, she reached out and healed them. And when Ylisse's spirit mended and the people 'forgave' her, she never resented them for it. She represents the best part of the halidom—the part most worth protecting. She IS peace. But some men would take advantage of that. Men like King Gangrel. The day he understands peace will be the day death gives it to him. ...So perhaps I must be death's agent. Emmeryn would never order him killed, nor would I wish her to…"

"Well spoken, sir." a new voice interjected. Chrom and Robin turned to face the intruder, reaching for Falchion and a thunder tome respectively. They were greeted by the masked swordsman, Marth.

"Marth…" Chrom muttered to himself. "Good evening to you," came the reply. "How did you get here?" The prince asked. "This courtyard is walled off from the rest of the city."

"The cleft behind the training facility, next to the grove." the masked swordsman revealed. This resulted in a frown from Ylisse's prince. "There? But how would you… ugh…"

"You know of it?" Robin asked. "Yes." Came the reply. "I bashed in a part of the wall while training. I thought I concealed it well, but I guess not."

Marth nodded. "Your secret is safe with me. I'm only here to give you a warning."

"Warning?" Robin wondered out loud. "Yes." Marth replied. "The exalt's life is in danger."

"But… she's protected at all hours!" Chrom protested. "That can't be right!"

"What if…" Marth continued. "That I told you I have seen the future? Would you believe me when I say that the exalt was killed? Here. Tonight."

Chrom shook his head. "Seen the future? Have you lost your wits?"

"I didn't think you'd believe me…" Marth sighed. "Then allow me to prove it to you!" he drew his blade, the one that had an uncanny resemblance to Chrom's Falchion. Chrom was about to draw his own, but Marth spoke first. "Peace, I'm about to save your life…. From HIM."

At this, a dark blur launched itself at them from a tree growing outside the courtyard walls. Marth expected this, and swung his Falchion around. He slashed the chest of the assailant, the momentum of the swing bringing him behind the assassin. Finally, he stabbed the Falchion through the assassin's back, killing him.

Marth drew back his Falchion and raised it to his side. "I trust, this prove should suffice?"

Chrom nodded, dumbstruck. "...Yeah"

However, what Marth had NOT expected was a second assassin rushing in the same way as the first. "Watch out!" Robin shouted in alarm. Marth tried to move away, but slipped on the blade of the fallen assassin. This enabled the current one to close in and slash at the masked swordsman's face. He cleaved off the mask, revealing a rather feminine face and a head of long, luscious, blue hair.

In the meantime, Chrom rushed the assailant and ran his Falchion through his target's stomach, Robin launched a bolt of thunder, killing the assassin instantly. The two turned to face Marth.

Robin lost his breath for a brief second upon seeing the face of Marth. "Wait…. You're a woman?" Chrom asked in surprise.

Marth turned to them. "And quite the actress, too. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure out until just now. Perhaps we can discuss it at a later time, for now, the life of the Exalt is more important."

"Right." Chrom agreed. "Let's rally the shepherds."

Although they hadn't taken the news too well, the shepherds quickly mobilized and rushed to the castle. They had split into two groups and took a shortcut through the streets of Ylisstol and entered through two separate back entrances, reaching Emmeryn's quarters extremely quickly.

Once inside the castle, they heard the Ylissean Royal Guard already engaging in battle with the assassins. By the sound of it, Robin deduced that the Ylisseans were barely holding on. He only had a few moments to study the map before coming up with a plan.

At the Northeastern entrance, he had Marth, Lissa, Sully, Stahl, Kellam, Lon'qu, Vaike, Miriel as well as himself.

At the Northwestern entrance, there was Chrom, Sumia, Frederick, Maribelle, Donnel, Virion and Ricken.

Robin took a bit of time to get his bearings. "The assassin's should scatter if we defeat their leader…" he mused to himself.

"Chrom! Take Lissa and flee while you can!" he heard Emmeryn shout from her room. "No! We're not leaving you! Stay where it's safe!" he heard Chrom retort.

{Alright, there seems to be two entrances to the Exalt's room.} Robin spoke into the shepherd's minds. {However, it would be extremely awkward and cramped if we try to defend these entrances. Instead, we'll branch out and guard the three possible entrances to the area just outside her room. Send Donnel, Maribelle and Ricken and we'll send Kellam to guard the middle corridor, while the rest of you hold the West entrance. We'll hold them off at the Eastern stairs.}

He then addressed Marth in person, who was not registered in the Hekseer. "Stand in front of the door to the exalt's room and stop anyone from trying to get in." This earned a nod from the swordswoman and she ran off.

The shepherd's mobilized, with their general instructions in mind. They had been with Robin in enough battles to guess his overall plan.

Chrom and Frederick formed a human wall at the Western entrance, supported by Virion and Sumia. Meanwhile, Sully, Stahl and Vaike formed a similar wall at the top of the Eastern staircase, with Lon'qu, Miriel and Lissa behind them.

Kellam ran towards the middle corridor, as did Donnel, Maribelle and Ricken. Robin was surprised to see Donnel wielding a bronze sword instead of his lance. Ricken blasted the brigand already at the top of the corridor with a wind spell, and Donnel closed in, slashing the Plegian's throat and taking control of the corridor.

"Did Donnel decide to change what weapon he uses?" Robin mused out loud to himself. "Uh-huh!" Lissa responded. "He asked Lon'qu to give him a few pointers while you were asleep. Donny's actually a pretty fast learner."

"Got it." Robin said as he made a mental note to himself.

Meanwhile, Sully engaged an enemy thief running up the stairs. She stabbed her lance at the soldier's throat, but the thief tried to dodge, which caused the weapon to impale his shoulder instead. Lon'qu rushed in and slashed the thief while he was still on the end of Sully's weapon, finishing the job.

Stahl and Vaike each engaged an enemy axefighter, and with some support from Miriel, were able to take down both of them.

On the Western side, Frederick and Virion handily slew a Plegian axefighter. Chrom and Sumia were about to do the same to an enemy thief.

"W-wait!" The thief stammered just as Chrom raised his sword. This bought the thief enough time to blurt out a few more sentences. "I'm not here to hurt anyone."

Chrom frowned. "Yet you run with a band of assassins?"

The thief shrugged. "Believe it or not, I'm just trying to make a living. I'm a thief, see? Bust open doors, crack open chests, that kind of thing. This lot said they were gonna break into some sort of vault. They didn't say anything about murder. I'd just as soon sit this one out."

"Perhaps you're willing to prove your good intentions then?" Chrom suggested. "We need all the help we can get to save the exalt's life. You appear capable, and we could use all the help we can get."

"Hmm…" the thief contemplated. "Perhaps I'll be willing to do so… if you sweeten the deal."

Chrom gritted his teeth. "You want gold? Fine you scoundrel…. Let me just…." He reached for his pockets, but instead of a bag of gold, he fumbled out the bag of candies Lissa had given him earlier that day.

"Looks like you dropped it." The thief said, reaching down to pick it up. "That's not it." Chrom muttered. "They're just candies from my little sister."

The thief's eyes went wide. "Candies? As in, sugar candies?" "Well, yes… I'm assuming they would be sweet." Chrom responded.

"IT'S A DEAL!" The thief exclaimed. "GIMMEGIMMEGIMME!"

Chrom deadpanned. "You…. would risk your life…. For a bag of candies?"

The thief happily picked up the satchel, and blissfully popped one of the candies in his mouth. "Hey I said 'sweeten the deal', didn't I? And besides, these clowns don't have any sugar to share... What do you want me to do?"

Chrom facepalmed. "Go that-a-way," he said, pointing with his other hand. "Ask for Donnel to take you to Robin. He'll fill you in, and hopefully you can do the same."

"Yessir!" the orange haired thief happily replied as he ran off in the direction. Shortly after, everyone, including the Plegians, heard an ear piercing scream as a startled Maribelle began to hit the unsuspecting thief over the head with her mend staff.

"Ow ow! I'm on your side here! Blue over there told me to ask for Donnel!" the thief protested. "M-me? Whatdoya need me for?" "I'm supposed to ask you to take me to Robin." The thief responded.

The shepherds guarding the middle corridor shrugged and Donnel led him towards the Eastern side.

Robin was surprised, but happily surprised at the revelation of a new ally. He dismissed Donnel to return to defend the middle corridor after the farmboy brought the thief to him. The thief, Gaius, happily divulged all the information he knew while he snacked on Chrom's candies.

The leader of their opponents is a sorcerer named Validar. Rumors circulated that he was directly related to King Gangrel. Their only goals tonight were to kill the Exalt and to steal the Fire Emblem.

Knowing this information, Robin turned back to study his Hekseer. He found the location of the only sorcerer on his opponent's side, and assumes that that is this Validar character. He bit down on his thumb, thinking hard.

Meanwhile, Kellam impaled an enemy thief as Ricken threw spell after spell at the axemen in front of the armored knight. Donnel arrived back just in time to be able to take down an enemy mage running into position to fire at Kellam. He dodged the swing from an axeman, but got his arm grazed. Maribelle was able to rush over and heal the retreating Donnel, and he quickly recovered.

On the Western side, not a single Plegian was able to get past Chrom and Frederick. When a mage walked up to try and blast them with a wind spell, Virion and Sumia shot him with an arrow and javelin respectively. Thieves and axemen alone were no match for Frederick's heavy armor and his silver lance.

Robin's side was having an even easier time. They had the most people, and with the addition of Gaius, they held back the Plegians with ease. Sully and Stahl engaged in two enemy cavaliers as Lon'qu and Vaike moved around them to help out in a pincer attack. Miriel fired a spell at an enemy mage. The mage fired back, but did not see Gaius as he slipped in and slit his throat.

Another enemy cavalier managed to charge past the preoccupied shepherds in a desperate attempt to reach Robin and the backline. "Help!" Lissa cried out in alarm. Robin reached into the air for Naglfar.

Suddenly, a large rabbit like creature charged in and kicked the Plegian right off his horse. The soldier flew off and hit a wall with a sickening thud.

"Who-" Robin began. "That's Panne! Don't hurt her, she's an ally!" he heard Marth yell. "You know her?" Robin yelled back. "I know OF her, and that she would come tonight." Came the response. "I ask you for your trust, Panne is an ally."

"Yes, you may consider me an ally… for now." The rabbit spoke, startling everyone that heard her. "But do not consider you and I friends. I am simply repaying a debt for my warren."

"Alright then…." Robin furrowed his brow, thinking a bit harder. "I think what we need is to take the fight to THEM."

{Kellam, I need you to leave the corridor. Let Donnel, Maribelle and Ricken cover the corridor. I need you to cover the entrance to the Exalts room with Marth.} {Got it} he heard the armored knight reply.

Robin then turned to the shepherds on his side. "We're gonna make a rush for their commander." he explained. "He's a sorcerer that seems to have a fire tome. We need to move quickly, but also carefully." He received a chorus of affirmations.

Sully, Stahl and Panne led the charge, bulldozing some of the Plegians in their way. Robin, Lon'qu, Vaike, Gaius and Miriel cleaned up the ones that were left in their wake.

Eventually, they made their way to the entrance leading outside. "Alright, charge outside and take out the sorcerer." Robin instructed his group. "He seems to be by himself. Be wary of his spells, but he shouldn't be able to take you all on. If you get hurt, remember to call for Lissa. I will stay here and see how the rest of them are doing."

With that, Robin's group ran out to meet the sorcerer. He heard a shout of surprise outside as, presumably the sorcerer, didn't expect to be attacked himself.

Robin took this moment to check his Hekseer. Chrom, Sumia, Frederick and Virion were still holding strong, keeping all the Plegians on the West side at bay. Donnel, with the help of Ricken and Maribelle, was still doing OK holding the middle corridor, as it was too narrow for more than one or two Plegians to go through at once. A few of the smarter Plegians snook past his own group and tried to enter through the Eastern stairwell, but were easily cut down by Marth and Kellam. Things had been going pretty smoothly. He put it away, and walked outside.

The sorcerer been defeated. He had fallen on his knees and had several slash wounds across his body. On the shepherd's side, Lissa was busy healing burn wounds on Stahl and Lon'qu.

The sorcerer froze when he saw Robin. "Y-YOU!" he stammered, coughing up some blood. "You don't b-belong on this stage! I've finally found you, a-and… yet…." With that, the sorcerer fell over, dead.

Robin's eyes shot open when he heard what was said. "You know of my past!?" he exclaimed, but the sorcerer had already died. Robin screamed in frustration at the lost opportunity of recovering some of his memories. The nearby shepherds tried to comfort him, but to no avail.

In the meantime, the remaining Plegians realized that their leader had been defeated, and began to try and flee the castle. Unfortunately, Robin and his group stood between them and their exit.

With the others, Robin furiously cut down every Plegian that tried to escape, venting his frustration by killing more of the assailants. His scythe whirled through the air, decapitating and dismembering any opponent foolish enough to get near him. He had a feral snarl on his face. The area of the ground he stood over soon became covered in the blood of Plegians. Faint trails of quintessence rose from the corpses like steam right into the outstretched hand of Robin. A few of the shepherds (Sully and Vaike) looked at him in awe, while many of the others looked at him with an expression bordering fear.

When the dust had settled, Robin had collected enough quintessence from his kills that his eyes began to glow a reddish purple. Lissa and Stahl unconsciously backed away from him in fright. It took him a few minutes for him to calm down, and his eyes returned to normal.

"Tell me," Sully began. "What th' hell was that!?"

Lon'qu shook his head. "Robin is too modest. There is no way I am a better fighter than that."

"It's like you went into a berserk mode!" Stahl laughed nervously.

Robin scratched the back of his head. "I think I just got too angry. I lost myself in the moment."

"C'mon, let's go back to the others." Suggested the tactician. The group began to head back inside.

By the time Robin and his group got back, Chrom and the others had regrouped. As Robin walked in, Chrom was busy conversing with Emmeryn.

"Emm, Thank Naga you're safe!" he heard Chrom say. "It is you I have to thank, Chrom." came the Exalt's reply. Phila knelt down in front of Emmeryn. "I beg your forgiveness, Your Grace. I failed in my duty. They shouldn't have made it into the castle in the first place."

Robin nodded slightly, agreeing with the Falcon Knight, but Chrom was the one that spoke. "Peace, Phila. You couldn't have known they were coming. Only Marth could…"

Emmeryn frowned, clearly not familiar with the name. "Marth?" she asked.

"Yeah, I would like to speak more with- um… Robin…? Where's Marth?" Robin looked around quizzically. "Hmm… an excellent question. I saw her here just a moment ago."

Chrom facepalmed. "Not again! Come on, Robin! We have to find her!" The two ran off towards the castle courtyard.

Fortunately, the pair had the help of Robin's Hekseer, which gave away Marth's position. They were able to guess where Marth's intended exit will be based off that, and Chrom was able to contribute by showing them the quickest way there. The two cut her off right as she was about to leave.

"Going somewhere?" Chrom asked the now known to be female sword fighter. "You have a bad habit of leaving without saying goodbye."

Marth gritted her teeth. "Yes, I believe I have quite a few bad habits."

"Good ones as well." Chrom added. "You saved my life. As well as both of my sisters. Is there any way I can repay you? Some favor I can grant?" At this, Marth smiled. "Hearing you offer is reward enough." Robin, once again, lost his breath for a second, but concealed it well.

"But…" Chrom continued. "There must be something…" Marth, however, interrupted him. "I already got what I came here for. History has been rewritten."

"And what do you mean by that? What future did we avert?" Chrom pressed. "After the Exalt's assassination, the Fire Emblem was stolen, which would lead to a great war that will end all of mankind. But… I'm sure that sounds like gibberish to you." Marth replied.

Chrom smiled. "Strangely, no. It doesn't. Somehow I know I can trust you. Hopefully I can repay you someday." Marth nodded. "Someday, perhaps. Until then…." she began to walk away.

"W-wait!" Robin interjected."Hmm?" Marth looked at him in confusion.

Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "S-sorry. Nevermind." "B-but, there must have been something you were going to say." Marth replied. "Just tell me."

Robin sighed, not knowing what to do. Finally, he did some quick thinking. "Thank you for saving my friend's life. I hope that our paths cross again in the future." With that, he gave Marth a smile.

"Y-yeah, it was n-not... It was no problem." Marth stammered, before bolting for the exit.

"What a uniquely strange person…." Chrom muttered to himself.

**Meanwhile, with Emmeryn…**

"Brave taguel, I have no words to say that are able to express my gratitude." The Exalt said to Panne.

"What's a taguel?" Lissa wondered out loud. Panne scoffed. "I am a taguel… or rather, the last taguel. Most of your kind call us 'beasts'. I only helped because my warren owes Ylisse a debt. Do not think us friends, you and I…."

"I don't understand…." Lissa began.

This time, Panne began to laugh. "There seems to be very little that your kind understands. It was man-spawn like yourselves that invaded our warren and slaughtered my people."

Emmeryn sighed. "I'm told that, in taguel society, everyone is treated as an equal. Mankind could learn much from your warren. The words may come too late and mean too little, but I am deeply sorry. We have stolen your friends and family and made the world a lesser place."

"Your Grace!" Phila protested. "You had no fault in this!"

"You claim to be blameless, and yet you apologize?" Panne wondered out loud. "Pah! Your words are but wind."

"I know." Emmeryn closed her eyes. "But they are all I have."

Panne studied her for a moment. "You seem sincere, man-spawn. You feel my pain as your own. I've never felt that before. I will never trust mankind. But you... Perhaps you truly are not like the others."

Emmeryn nodded. "All I ask is for a chance to earn your trust."

**Somewhere beyond the realm of life…**

Validar had felt himself die. His consciousness was hazy as he saw himself in a dark room. "H-how? M-my purpose is too significant to be thwarted… And I was so close too!"

Suddenly, a shadowy figure approached him. "Validar." a voice stated.

"What?" the sorcerer exclaimed. "W-who are you? Where did you come from?"

The voice laughed. "I am the power that compels you. You must not die here. It is not written. You must live on to author a destiny greater than you know."

Validar's eyes bulged open in realization after he got a good look at the mystery figure. "I-impossible! It can't be you! It can't be…"

The figure to began to laugh harder. "I am the breath of ruin…. I am the wings of despair…. I am the fell dragon, Grima!"

**Meanwhile, Back in Ylisstol….**

Chrom and the others were blissfully unaware of the occurrences in another dimensional plane. He and Robin had met back with Emmeryn and the Shepherds after having their conversation with Marth.

Phila was busy talking with the Exalt.

"It will take some time to investigate how the assassination plot got so far. We have no leads at the present."

"It's Plegia!" Chrom interjected. "I'm sure of it." he turned to Emmeryn. "Emm, you can't stay here. Come to Ferox where it is safer."

The Exalt shook her head. "And leave the people undefended? War is at our borders, Chrom. Can you expect Ylisse to stand against Plegia without a leader? They must know their Exalt stands with them."

"But what if something happens to you?" Lissa protested. "What then? Chrom and I need you too!"

"Your Grace." Frederick interrupted. "Might I make the suggestion that you temporarily relocate to the eastern palace? The other kingdoms would know nothing of it. You would be safer without having to leave the halidom."

"Yes. That is a fantastic idea." Chrom agreed. "I can't leave to petition aid from Ferox if I won't be sure that you'll be safe."

Emmeryn frowned. "Hmm…. Very well."

Chrom smiled. "Thanks Emm. We'll escort you to the palace before we head North for Ferox."

While this was going on, Stahl and Robin approached the turncoat thief, who was sitting up against a wall, eating a sucker.

"Heya! Your name is Gaius, was it not?" Stahl asked.

"Yep. What's it to you, Greens?" the thief in question retorted.

"Chrom told me to give you this." At this, the viridian cavalier handed Gaius a pouch. "They're some hard candies we had in the kitchen back at the shepherd's garrison. Nobody really eats them, but they're still good, I'm sure."

The thief snatched the pouch and removed the sucker from his mouth temporarily. He tasted one of the candies, and, feeling quite satisfied, placed the pouch in one of his pockets. "Thanks, Greens. Pleasure working with you."

"So, what now?" Robin asked. "Beg pardon?" Came the response.

"Well, since we kinda killed your old employer, what's your plan?" Robin clarified.

The thief made a face. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I'll have to look around to see if anyone is willing to hire someone… of my profession."

"Well, why don't you join the shepherds?" Stahl suggested. "We saw how well you fought. I'm sure Chrom will allow it."

Robin smiled. "Yes. Think about it, it'll be food every day and a roof over your head. Doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

Gaius smiled. "That doesn't sound quite so bad, Bubbles." He got up. "Alright. I'll do it. Lead me to this 'Chrom' guy."

With that, the three went off to find the Ylissean prince.

**In the streets of Ylisstol…**

Marth slowly began to make her way out of the Ylissean capital. She'd cried for several minutes now. Whether it's from sadness or happiness she couldn't quite tell.

She'd altered history. She prevented the death of Emmeryn. She saved the Fire Emblem. She knew she had been successful that evening, but then why did she feel so… unfulfilled?

'Seeing Chrom and Robin is bringing up too many memories' she concluded to herself. 'Even though it pains me, I must be careful not to change history more than I need to.'

She stopped when she reached the city gate. She turned her tear streaked face back towards the capital with a wistful look on her face. "W-why? Why did I have to be the one…." she murmured to herself.

She tried to fight back the tears that continued to spill down her reddened cheeks. "R-robin…" she murmured one final time before drying her eyes with her sleeves and running off into the countryside.

**Sometime in the distant future…**

Lucina hated the rain. She hated… hated… HATED it. When it rains, she can't go play outside. She has to use her 'inside voice' or else mommy gets super mad at her. She can't even swing her toy sword around because the adults get mad at her. Well, at least all of the adults except for Robin. Mister Robin is her favorite adult, she concluded.

Right now, she was stuck in her room because mommy had sent her here. She didn't understand why. She'd been a good girl and didn't bother daddy when he was super busy. Bored of watching the raindrops fall outside her window, she decided to lean against the door to listen to what the people were saying outside her room. Although it was a little muffled, Lucina was still able to make out what they were saying.

"Lissa told me Robin went to go see her again today." she heard mommy say to someone. "He was covered in bruises again. *sigh*, that girl…."

"Lissa says that Robin doesn't blame her." said the voice that Lucina recognized to be uncle Lon'qu. "He's just happy that she's able to have fun."

"Yes, but it doesn't have to be at the expense of his own health!" her mommy responded.

"Maybe, but think about it: You're always busy with Cynthia, and Chrom is always busy leading the halidom." her uncle retorted. "It must be a terrible feeling for a six year old to feel that lonely. After all, Owain is not big enough to be able to play with her yet."

"Perhaps..." her mommy said. "But I feel like I still need to have a talk with her. She can't grow up thinking it's OK to go around swinging a sword at others. Even if it's a toy."

"Oh, hello there, is Lucina in her room?" A new voice, one that made Lucina's eyes light up in happiness, asked.

"Yeah, the little one's in there." her uncle responded. "You gonna read to her today?"

"Well, I think it's a good thing to teach children to appreciate literature, especially at a young age." Robin responded. "At least, that would be the way I would raise my children, if I ever have any."

"Oh don't be like that!" her mommy responded. "You're an extremely attractive man! You'll find the right one soon enough."

"Careful." Robin warned. "Don't let Chrom hear you say that about me!" She heard Robin and uncle Lon'qu laugh. She didn't understand why.

Then she heard a light knock on her door. "Hello? May I come in?" he heard mister Robin ask.

"Yes!" she exclaimed in joy.

As the door opened, Lucina tackled the man with a hug. "Mister Robin is here! Mister Robin is here!"

Robin laughed as he walked in the room and closed the door behind him.

"Well, I came as soon as it started to rain." he explained. "We'll have to play inside today. What would you like to do?"

Lucina brought her index finger to her chin in contemplation. "Hmm….. I don't know…." Suddenly, she had an idea. "How about we play 'house'? I'll be the mommy, and you'll be the daddy, and… and…." at this, she ran across the room and pulled out a doll. She never had a use for such a stupid toy until now. "And this will be our baby!"

Robin chuckled. "Alright." he set the book he brought on a shelf. "Let's play 'house'."

**A couple hours later…**

"...And dinner's ready!" Announced Lucina, matter of factly. She placed some fake food on Robin's toy plate as they sat around a miniature tea table.

"Alright!" Robin exclaimed in mock joy as he began to pretend to eat. "Mmmm! This is really delicious! You're a great cook!"

"Thank you, darling." Lucina said, using the name she'd heard her mommy call daddy. She had a slight blush on her cheeks.

Soon, their playing of 'house' seemed to reach a dead end.

"How about I read you a story?" Robin suggested as he reached for the book he had brought.

"A story?" Asked Lucina with a frown. "I don't like stories… they're so boring."

"I think you'll really like this one." Robin said with a smile. "It's about warlords and great battles."

"Oh?" Lucina wondered, her interest piqued.

"Yeah!" Robin continued. "Plus, it has pictures!"

Lucina clapped her hands together happily. "Oh yay! I love picture books! What is the story called?"

"The Waltz of the Three Kingdoms." Robin replied. "It's a really long story, so we can read it slowly, bit by bit!"

Lucian looked at the book. It WAS rather thick. But she also knew that means Robin would read to her for a long time.

"Ok!" she finally decided as she happily plopped herself into the lap of the older man.

Robin smiled, and began to read.

"Some say it was luck or good fortune, but in truth, it was fate that brought Liu'Bei, Guan'Yu and Zhang'Fei together at that peach grove in Chon'sin that day. It was this event that would shape the fate of Chon'sin, as well as the fate of all of Valm…."

**Donnel: **

**Class Change: Mercenary**

**Gaius: Age: 19**

**Class: Thief**

**Panne: Age: 22**

**Class: Taguel**


	11. Incursion

**Author's Note: I think the javelins in Awakening and Fates seem heavy and inefficient. Instead, the javelins in my story will be similar to those used in the Game Boy series. They are light, slim, and have the pretty red ribbons around the point of the spear.**

**Don't have much to say this time I guess. I have plenty of time next week, so I guess you can expect me to post a bit more frequently. In the meantime, enjoy chapter 11.**

**Ylisstol**

After the assassination attempt on Emmeryn, everyone took a couple of days to regroup and get everything ready.

Everyone had their own way of preparing for the trip.

Lissa and Maribelle, as well as some of the other healers in the castle had their hands full in the infirmary. Lon'qu stayed by Lissa's side the entire time, occasionally helping her with some mundane tasks, such as fetching water or wrapping bandages. They had lost many Ylissean lives in the assault, but thankfully, they were also able to save quite a few of them. Lissa and Maribelle's ability to use a staff improved tremendously during this time.

Donnel prepared by practicing hard at the training grounds. He improved extremely quickly, and in those couple of days, became just as capable as any regular Ylissean soldier with a sword. He continually amazes Robin on just how fast of a learner he is.

Sully and Stahl trained together frequently. This isn't anything unexpected, because they were the only ones on horseback in the shepherds besides Frederick. But no one was at Frederick's level. Robin could begin to see a budding camaraderie between the two cavaliers.

Vaike was bugging Chrom to train together, but to his dismay, the prince had more important preparations to make for the following few days. He had to compromise by training with Kellam. Frederick, naturally, stayed by the prince's side through it all.

Sumia began to practice fighting on a pegasus more. Up until now, her role had been to ferry units, usually Chrom, around and to throw javelins from a distance. Although her accuracy with a javelin was pretty good, she also wanted to be able to fight from close range. She flew around some dummies and practiced diving in and going for a deadly stab.

Virion, surprisingly, spent a lot of time with Ricken. Robin heard him talking about his past life to the young mage during meal times, and the two could be seen practicing their accuracy at the shooting range.

Occasionally, Robin checked up on Gaius. To his relief, the thief had been taking his new job seriously. He stayed out of trouble and worked on his combat skills. His ability to wield a knife was quite impressive. In his free time, he roamed Ylisstol happily (and without a bounty on his capture) searching for sugar or other sweets he could buy with his honestly earned money.

Much like Gaius, Panne spend a lot of her time roaming Ylisstol, although with her ears covered by a hood. She regarded the entire city with fascination, and took the opportunity to become accustomed to living with humans.

Robin, much like Miriel, spent much of their down time reading. The tactician steadily devoured book after book in the Ylissean library, prioritizing the topics of history and strategic thinking whenever possible. He figured that since he lost his memory, there must be a lot of things he once knew that he did not know now. He hoped that by cramming his brain with information, he'll be of more use to the shepherds. When he was tired, he relaxed by reading some fiction or historical fiction.

**The day before the shepherd's departure…**

Robin awoke to a light knock on his door.

"Come in…" groggily muttered.

The door opened, and Sumia poked her head in. "Good morning!" she exclaimed. "Chrom told me to tell you that you're on kitchen duty tonight."

"I'm on what?" Robin asked as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Kitchen duty." Sumia replied. "You're the chef for tonight. But I thought I'd help you out, in case you've never cooked before."

Robin smiled. "Alright, what do I do?"

Sumia smiled. "I'll show you. But first…." she paused. "You may want to get dressed. I'll leave you alone for a moment." With that, she ducked back out the door and left Robin to his devices.

Moments later, Robin emerged from the library while Sumia leaned against a wall just outside.

"C'mon, first, we need to get the money." With that, Sumia led Robin towards the castle. They retrieved 500 gold from the treasury.

"500? That doesn't seem like very much." Robin mused to himself.

"It really isn't. We have to find the cheapest ingredients usually." Sumia explained.

"That would explain the taste of the food." Robin muttered to himself. "Hmm?" Sumia wondered, not quite hearing the tactician clearly.

"Uh, I said I would need to watch how much I spend…. On the food…" Robin managed.

Sumia smiled at him. "You'll be fine…." she promised.

"And now that we have the money, we can go buy the food whenever." Sumia explained. "Since it's for dinner, we should go to the market in the afternoon, maybe after lunch."

Robin nodded. "Alright. I'll meet up with you at the entrance of the garrison after we we eat lunch then. But right now… it's time for breakfast." He rubbed his stomach hungrily.

Sumia giggled. "Yes, you're right. Let's go get something to eat."

They headed towards the dining hall. Robin ate his food, and went back to the library to read. Several hours flew by, and it was finally time for lunch. Once again, Robin went to the dining hall, found a table to sit at, and ate his food.

When he finished, he returned his silverware to the kitchen and walked towards the front of the garrison, where Sumia was already waiting for him, with a horse and cart ready.

The two headed off to the farmer's market. "So…. do you know what you need to buy, or should I give you some pointers?" Sumia asked.

"Hmmm, well I'm gonna make a beef stew… I think I can manage the ingredients. Although I could use some help if I forget a key ingredient." he chuckled slightly. "It's been too long since I did some cooking…"

"Too long? Does that mean you have memories of cooking?" Sumia asked innocently.

Robin froze. "N-no, at least, I don't think I do…." he shrugged. "That actually kind of came out without thinking. Perhaps I did at some point, I guess I don't really know."

Sumia giggled. "Oh Robin, you're really silly." This caused the tactician to grin slightly.

They bought, among other things, beef (the really cheap cuts), carrots and potatoes. They've currently spent 475 gold already.

"Wow! You're really good at haggling." Sumia noticed. "You managed to get so much and you still have 25 gold left. Looks like everyone will have PLENTY to eat tonight."

Robin grimaced. "Maybe, but these are just the basic ingredients… I still need some more…"

Sumia laughed. "Oh don't worry, you have plenty here already. Everyone will love whatever we can make with this." Robin sighed. Suddenly, he hears a merchant call out among the rest of the background noise: "Fresh herbs and spices! Get whatever you need to spice up your food!"

He handed Sumia the leash to the horse. "Wait for me here, I just forgot something, I'll be back."

"What did you forget?" Sumia called after Robin, who was running off. "My book! I left my book in the market!" he called back.

When he reached the spice stand, he scanned everything, and eventually settled on a combination of black pepper, rosemary and thyme. When it came time to pay, Robin reached into his own pockets and handed over the money. He placed the satchels he bought back in his cloak, where Sumia could not see.

"Did you not find it?" Sumia asked worryingly when Robin returned empty handed. Robin shook his head. "I guess not… I'm starting to think that I didn't bring it with me."

Sumia laughed. "Oh, you really are something special." she said. "Come to think of it, I don't remember you bringing anything with you."

Robin smiled. "No, I guess not. C'mon, we have to head back and do some actual cooking."

The two began to head back to the shepherd's garrison. Robin took everything immediately to the kitchen.

"Do you need me to help you cook?" Sumia asked helpfully. "No, I think I'm OK. I want to test to see if cooking comes naturally to me." Robin explained. "If it does, maybe I did do quite a bit of cooking in my past."

Sumia nodded. "Alright, I'll leave you to it then. I look forward to what you are going to make."

With that, the pegasus knight went off, and Robin was able to cook in peace. He found that, indeed, he had a natural gift for cooking. His cuts were clean and precise, and he was able to add the spices he'd smuggled in without anyone finding out. His timing was perfect too, because right when he deemed his stew ready, the shepherds began filing into the dining hall.

"Oh, ol' Robin is the chef tonight?" Vaike noticed as he walked in. "What did ya make?"

"You'll see." Robin smirked as he handed the axeman a bowl. He repeated the action, feeding everyone one at a time.

Cries of delight were heard in the entire dining hall once the shepherds began to eat.

"What th' hell?" Sully exclaimed, dumbfounded. "Why's the food so good tonight?"

"I must admit… whoever was the cook tonight definitely did something right!" Maribelle mused.

"He he, yeah! I'd pay to eat this stuff every night!" Stahl agreed. "We should make 'em cook every night!" he joked.

Robin smiled, feeling pleased that everyone loved his food so much. He poured himself a full bowl, and began to eat in the kitchen, stopping only when someone came up for seconds. When Sumia came back for more, she admitted that she hadn't expected Robin to make something quite so delectable.

He must admit, he HAD outdone himself. The food was extremely delicious. And the cooking process went extremely smoothly too. He seemed to know exactly how to do everything, and exactly how much of every ingredient to add. 'I must have done a fair share of cooking in my past.' he thought to himself. He finished serving everyone, and to his delight, some of the shepherds were so happy with what they just ate that they offered to help him clean the dishes.

With extra help, things were finished in no time, and Robin was able to return to his room quite early. He finished the day by doing some more reading, and only went to sleep when he became extremely exhausted.

'All in all, a fantastic day.' He thought to himself as he fell asleep. 'I wonder what tomorrow will hold?'

**The next day….**

Robin woke up and gathered at the front of the garrison with the rest of the shepherds. Most of them were already there. Among the regular shepherds, there was also Emmeryn, Phila, a platoon of Pegasus knights, and an old man dressed in green robes.

"Oh, who might this be?" Robin wondered out loud. Chrom turned to face Robin.

"Oh him? He's the hierarch of Ylisse." Chrom explained. "He helped Emmeryn quite a bit during her first few years as an Exalt. He's an important ally, and we'll be taking him with us to the Eastern castle."

The hierarch gave Robin a nervous chuckle. "You must be Robin. Chrom has said a lot about you." he reached his hand out, and Robin accepted it. "Hopefully all good." The tactician said with a smirk.

Once everyone was assembled, they began to march towards the Northeast. Things were going fairly well until they reached Breakneck pass. The trail suddenly became extremely steep, and everyone moved much slower.

"Ugh, my poor feet." Lissa complained. "I've got blisters the size of eggs!"

Chrom chuckled. "It's not so bad, Lissa. Just a healthy little stroll is all."

Many of the other shepherds had to disagree. "My legs feel like pudding." Robin observed. "Honestly, your endurance really astounds me, Chrom."

"Hah!" Chrom exclaimed. "Should I carry you?" he asked jokingly.

"You can carry me!" Lissa interjected. "No seriously. I'd be really OK with you carrying me."

Meanwhile, the hierarch nervously followed along, but this was noticed by a certain wary Great Knight.

"Is something the matter?" Frederick asked. "Hierarch, you keep glancing towards the peaks."

"O-oh… it's nothing!" the old man assured everyone. "I-it's just… ghastly times! Yes, certainly. Just a bit nervous is all…."

"What's there to be nervous about?" Robin murmured quietly to himself. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Chrom!" Robin nudged the marching prince. "I'm gonna check something really quickly."

The prince had a look of confusion on his face as Robin pulled out his Hekseer. The map, as per usual, started forming from the center (Robin's location) and the familiar glow of blue and green icons began to appear. Suddenly, as the Hekseer began to spread out, multiple red icons appeared to their Northeast. 'Not good!' Robin thought to himself. At the same time, several of Phila's pegasus knights also called out a warning. "Wyvern Riders spotted! To the Northeast!" Several Plegian brigands also ran towards them from the Northeast, grinning wildly. "Ga ha ha! Time to die, princey!" one taunted.

"Plegian soldiers?" Chrom asked in disbelief. "How did they know we were here? And how did they manage to get ahead of us?" "Regardless, the truth is that they're here!" Robin exclaimed. "Everyone, prepare for battle!" The tactician turned to Chrom. "Stay on the defensive for a little bit. I need some time to observe the surroundings and to come up with a plan." He saw the prince give him a nod, and immediately began to study the Hekseer.

A higher ranked Wyvern Rider flew up near them. He took a large whiff of the mountain air. "Ahhhhhh! Smell that men?" he declared. "The winds of fortune are blowing our way! This is the day that Vasto and his men kill the Exalt and become as famed as that old bastard Mustafa! By the moon's end, they'll be erecting statues of me back home in the capital"

The Ylisseans looked on, dumbstruck as the hierarch ran forward and approached him. "Hold sir!" he pleaded. "They're Plegians!" Chrom interjected. "There's no use trying to talk sense into them!" The hierarch ignored Chrom. "I am the man King Gangrel told you about! Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?"

"What?" Chrom wondered in disbelief. "What is the meaning of this?"

Vasto, like the hierarch, ignored the Ylissean prince and the increasing amount of murmurs throughout the Ylissean ranks. "I've orders to protect a man, true… But I don't see a man here!" The Wyvern Rider laughed. "I see only a pig! A filthy little pig that sold out his sovereign!"

"Why you-" Chrom began, and prepared to rush forward. However, the Plegians beat him to it. A nearby brigand rushed in and cut the hierarch down with one strike.

Vasto began to laugh. "Ha! The rest of you Ylisseans will have the same fate! Everyone, charge! Kill the Exalt and pry the Fire Emblem from her cold, dead hands!"

"Phila!" Chrom roared. "We'll take care of them! I'm trusting you to protect Emmeryn!" The Falcon Knight immediately took her cue to leave with the Exalt and flew to safety. Just before she took off, though, Robin stopped her momentarily. "Have your Pegasus Knights fly above the field, and immediately notify me if any large groups of reinforcements arrive. Other than that, try to distract, and not directly engage in the Wyvern Riders." "I'll do that." Phila nodded, and flew away with Emmeryn.

{Shepherds!} Robin announced to everyone. {The Plegian's have no mages! Units with heavy armor, feel free to have a field day in this battle. Frederick, Kellam, Sully, Stahl, Donnel and Chrom, take the front. Everyone else, form up closely behind them. Sumia, hover to the Eastern side of us. Protect our flank from wyvern riders as best as you can. Don't try to directly engage them though, just kite them around with javelins. If they try to move inland, let Stahl or Chrom take them out.}

Everyone immediately followed Robin's instructions.

Donnel ran up to a charging brigand, dodged the Plegian's swing, and slashed him across the chest. Lon'qu ran in and finished the Plegia with a swift slash across the throat. "You are a fast learner." The former Feroxi champion complimented.

Stahl and Sully rode circles around another brigand, and killed him with a flurry of slashes and stabs.

A Wyvern Rider towards them, but Chrom held his Falchion up as the beast flew by, ripping the wyvern's stomach open, causing the rider to fall to the ground in the middle of the shepherds. The last thing the Plegian saw was Vaike's goofy looking grin before his head was bashed in.

Frederick acted as a human wall, and blocked the arrows from a Plegian archer crouching in a bush. This gave Ricken and Miriel the opportunity to each launch a spell towards their assailant. A nasty combination of wind and fire blew up in the archer's face.

Sumia did a good job at her role, and threw javelins towards any Wyvern Riders that approached them from the East. Her first two throws hit her first two targets, hurling the riders off their mounts and towards the bottom of the mountain. Their wyverns, not being accustomed to flying without a rider, changed course and followed after their falling masters. After seeing the Pegasus Knight's skill with a javelin, the rest of the Wyvern Riders decided to take their chances with the units on the ground.

The shepherds inched forward, and the main force of the Plegians were soon thrown in disarray. Seeing an opportunity, Gaius, Lon'qu and Panne charged out and began to take down some of the isolated Plegians.

Lon'qu cut up a straggling brigand with three successive slashes. Panne kicked an archer off the side of the cliff. Gaius engaged in a knife fight with a Plegian thief. He managed to slit his opponent's throat, but not before he received a large cut across his cheek. "Darn," The thief muttered to himself, wincing in pain. "I guess I'll let Princess and Twinkles take care of it then." He ran back behind their human wall.

**Meanwhile…**

Cordelia flew as fast as she could. She managed to reach Breakneck pass, and by the time she arrived, the battle was already going on.

"N-no! Plegians are here as well?" she stammered in disbelief. "Prince Chrom! Captain Phila!" The Pegasus Knight shouted. "Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They will be upon us soon!"

{I-is that… Cordelia?} Robin heard Phila say. {Cordelia?} The tactician wondered. {She's one of my knights.} Robin heard her reply. {She's quite capable. But she was stationed at the border… Why would she be…. Oh Naga…. Could it mean..."} Phila trailed off, and Robin tried to ignore the implications of her statements. He had a battle to win right now.

{Sumia!} the tactician ordered. {Go fly to this Cordelia character, and have her speak with me, quickly!} {Got it! He heard her reply.} {Everyone else, keep doing just that. We'll inch our way to Vasto, there's no rush. The Plegians to our rear are still a good distance away.}

As he finished giving orders, a certain red haired pegasus knight landed next to him. "Greetings, are you Robin?" Cordelia asked. "Sumia told me to speak with you." Robin nodded. "I need you to touch this orb." He instructed. Cordelia seemed puzzled, but obeyed. {Can you hear me?} Robin asked through the Hekseer. "Naga!" Cordelia exclaimed in surprise. {Don't be alarmed. I could really use your help to the North. Stay out of the way of archers, but try to distract the Wyvern Riders.} Cordelia recomposed herself. "Yes sir!" She immediately flew off.

The battle went according to Robin's plan. Vasto clearly was out of his league in terms of strategizing and unit management, and really, their only hope of success was to pull off a successful ambush. His troops slowly began to die off one by one. Even his Wyvern Riders were not all that successful, despite their advantage over the pegasi. Every time they went in for a kill, the pegasi would quickly flew out of range. After a while, they would get mad and blindly charge after them, only to be shot down by Virion's arrows.

True to Cordelia's word, several more Wyvern Riders appeared on the Western side. However, it was at a point where most of Vasto's soldiers were dead already.

{Frederick, Sully, Stahl, I need you to ride Westward, and position yourselves between those wyverns and our backline. All ranged units shoot at the wyverns. Let the rest of us mop up the remaining Plegian footsoldiers.} Robin instructed.

The shepherds obliged. Ricken, Miriel and Virion made quick work of the reinforcing wyverns.

Donnel, Lon'qu, Gaius and Cordelia moved around the mountain, picking off any and all Plegians they could find.

Robin turned towards Chrom and Sumia… and felt a searing pain in his left shoulder. He had an arrow protruding from his shoulder. He turned to see a Plegian archer firing from a ledge higher up the mountain.

The nearby shepherds saw Robin get wounded. Lissa cried out in alarm and tried to run over to help… only to freeze once she saw his eyes begin to glow purplish red with a murderous snarl on his face. He pulled the arrow out of his shoulder, ignoring how painful it was.

Robin pulled out his scythe and ran towards the archer. Lissa had never seen anyone run that fast before. Not even Chrom on flat ground would be able to close the distance quite as fast.

The archer, seeing Robin barrel towards him, panicked and dropped his bow. He tried to run away from the vengeful tactician. When Robin caught up to the archer, who was trying to scramble away, instead of killing him immediately, Robin grabbed him by the collar. He began to drag the helpless Plegian back towards the Shepherds.

Meanwhile, Vasto flew in and went straight for the prince. He swung his axe down, but Chrom dodged to the side. His wyvern lashed out at the prince, but Chrom slashed his Falchion across the beast's face, severely wounding it.

Sumia tried to be helpful and threw a javelin at Vasto. However, the wyvern raised its wings, purely by accident, and the javelin tore through its membrane, removing the wyvern's ability to fly.

Chrom took the opportunity to stab Falchion through the wyvern's lower jaw, killing the creature with his dragon slaying sword.

Seeing that his mount had been kill, Vasto got off the creature's corpse. Just as his feet hit the ground, he was knocked down by a punch to the back of the head by Vaike. He tried getting back up, but Gaius held a knife to his throat. "Don't try it." He warned the Plegian commander.

Chrom walked up to Vasto. "Tell us, how long has the hierarch been working with Gangrel? How much information has he divulged?"

Vasto spit on the ground. "I'm not telling you anything, you Ylissean dog!"

Chrom's eyes widened. He stepped up and was about to slap the Plegian commander, but was interrupted by Robin. "You're not gonna get any information out of him that way."

"Ehrm, Robin?" Chrom wondered. "Why… Why are your eyes glowing?"

Robin ignored the prince. "Here, let me show you." Robin turned to the Plegian soldier he'd dragged along. "First, Virion. I need you to ready your bow. When I tell you to, fire an arrow at the man I'm interrogating." The archer was visibly surprised. "Shall I shoot to kill?" he asked. Robin thought for a moment. "Sure, that would be good." He then turned to the Plegian soldier.

"Tell me what the hierarch told your King." he demanded.

The soldier shook his head. "I-I don't know, I'm just a foot soldier."

Robin rolled his eyes. "See, this one isn't cooperating either." He picked up his scythe. "I'm gonna give you one last chance, tell me what the hierarch told your king."

The soldier began to cry at this point. "I-I really don't know anything! Please!" Some of the soft hearted shepherds even began to feel sorry for the guy at this point. Robin shrugged indifferently. "I believe you." The soldier looked up at him. "Y-you do?" Robin grinned back. "Yes. But it also means we have no more use for you. You may go now." With that, he plunged his scythe into the man's chest, draining him of his life energy.

Vasto looked in horror as energy visibly traveled from the soldier's body into the weapon. Robin deliberately left his weapon lodged in the man's body, causing the body to turn unnaturally pale. Feeling satisfied, he withdrew his weapon.

Some Shepherds looked at him in shock, and others in horror. Chrom deadpanned. "You didn't get any information out of him."

Robin gave him a 'just wait' look. He walked over to Vasto. "Since your subordinate didn't want to divulge the details, I'm gonna have to ask you. What did the Hierarch tell your king?"

Vasto refused to budge an inch. "Hah! Y-you think your intimidation tactic works on me? I'm not telling you anything."

"Alright then." Robin picked up his scythe. "Birds of a feather, and all that…." He swung the scythe. However, he stopped just before the blade entered Vasto's stomach. The area around the crotch of the Plegian's pantaloons rapidly began to turn dark. Vasto had wet himself.

Robin chuckled. "You pretend to not fear death, but in the end, natural instinct still takes over. Because I'm such a generous guy, I'll give you one… last… chance."

At this, Vasto cracked. He told them everything he knew. He told them the Hierarch had been conspiring against Ylisse for several months now. He told them that Gangrel knew the general military strength of Ylisstol. He even told them that Gangrel knows the exact locations of the royal sibling's bedrooms in the castle. The whole time, Robin looked at Chrom with a look that read 'I told you so'.

He leaned down so his mouth was at the same level as Vasto's ear. "You did well. You may go now." he gestured towards the trail leading down the mountain. "Gaius, you can remove your knife from his neck now. He's a free man." The thief reluctantly obeyed.

Seeing his opportunity to get away, Vasto got up and ran down the trail as fast as he could. Chrom looked like he was about to protest, but Robin held his index finger to his lips and smiled.

{Virion, now!} he called using the Hekseer. Vasto didn't hear anything before an accurately shot arrow found its mark in his skull. He rolled down the mountainside, lifeless. Finally, Robin's eyes stopped glowing.

"Wasn't that a little… you know… too much?" Lissa wondered out loud.

Robin sighed. "This is war. We can't afford to let important information slip by us just because we're too soft." Chrom nodded. "I agree with Robin. Those Plegian dastards lost their right of being treated as equals as soon as they set foot across our border."

"But y'know, couldn't you have just, let him go free maybe? He already told you what he knew." Lissa pointed out. "If we let him get away, if he's able to get back to Plegia, he'll have information to share about the shepherd's strategy and strengths and weaknesses." Robin explained. "Since he doesn't have his wyvern though, it's also possible that he cannot make it back to Plegia for a long time. In that time, he has plenty of opportunities to cause trouble for Ylissean civilians. His death was extremely quick, and he wasn't expecting it either. You can consider that being merciful."

"I guess…." Lissa conceded. Meanwhile, some of the other shepherds were whispering amongst themselves.

"Did you see Robin? It's like he went into some sort of berserk mode." Gaius murmured to Panne, Vaike and Cordelia. "Yeah! So cool!" Vaike grinned. "So that means that what I saw was indeed abnormal." Cordelia murmured.

"Didn't that happen when the Plegians attacked our castle?" Stahl asked Sully. "I think so." The crimson cavalier replied. "Remind me never to get on that guy's bad side."

"W-well, I should still see that wound of yours." Lissa said. "I saw you get shot by an arrow."

Robin looked at his shoulder. "Oh that? The wound's closed. I'm fine."

"Bullspit!" Lissa exclaimed. "Let me see!" She walked up to the tactician. Sure enough, the wound on his shoulder had already closed. There was nothing but a small scar left. Even the fabric around the location of the arrow wound was beginning to close up.

"How?" Lissa wondered, dumbfounded. Robin shrugged. "I guess when I get injured, my body automatically begins to heal itself automatically with the quintessence I've stored up."

"Does that have anything to do with why your eyes were glowing?" Ricken asked, out of curiosity. "Hmmm, I honestly don't know." The tactician responded. "But I guess it's possible."

"Fascinating... " Miriel murmured. "Perhaps we'll have to run some tests in the future."

As this was all going on, Phila brought the Exalt back to the shepherds.

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?" Was the first thing Phila asked when she landed.

"Your Grace!" The Pegasus Knight exclaimed. "Enemy reinforcements are coming this way, not a half day's march behind us!"

"What?" Chrom questioned. "How did they get that far in our border?"

Cordelia shook her head. "Gangrel himself led his soldiers against us! My Pegasus Knight sisters begged me to fly away to warn you all, I can still hear their screams…."

"Peace, Cordelia" Phila comforted her. "You did your duty. The sisters rightly prized your youth. You've many years to keep their legacy alive."

"But... " the girl protested. "I abandoned them! Their legacy deserves better!"

Phila shook her head. "Sometimes, fleeing takes the most courage. They knew that. Now pull yourself together. Let the faith they showed in you give you strength.

"Captain Phila!" Cordelia began to cry. "How can I go on like this? They… they were my family! Naga! Oh Naga..."

"Damn them!" Chrom gritted his teeth.

"I must return to the capital." Emmeryn declared.

"What?!" Lissa exclaimed. "You can't go back now! It's too dangerous!" "Your Grace, I cannot advise that either." Phila agreed.

Emmeryn shook her head. "I should never had left in the first place. If it's discovered that I was away while this happened, the people would panic. They would riot. More Ylisseans could needlessly die." She turned to Chrom. "Here, I trust this to you." She handed over the Fire Emblem to the Ylissean prince. "Take it to Ferox. Take it to safety."

"And leave you?" Chrom asked. "No way. If you're heading back, then we're coming with you."

Emmeryn frowned. "You can't. If you go back with me, we can't expect reinforcements from Ferox. Then the war is already doomed."

Robin scratched his head. "We're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Letting Emmeryn go back is extremely dangerous, but what she said is also true. The citizens might put all the blame on her, and we could lose the support of the civilians. But what she said is also true. We do need to get help from Ferox."

"So what you're saying is we have to part ways here?" Chrom asked. "There has to be another way!"

Robin grimaced. "Well, I suppose we could send a couple of people ahead to Ferox, and the rest of us go back with Emmeryn…." he began.

"That would be ill advised." Frederick interjected. "If we were to do that, Chrom would have to go to Ferox. However, if we don't send a lot of people, that will open the possibility of getting ambushed by more Plegians. If that small group gets hit, the war will also be over."

"But, what are the chances there are Plegian forces that far north?" Chrom objected. "We could definitely try it!"

"What were the chances that Plegian soldiers would be here?" Robin countered. "It's still a risky move."

Phila nodded. "I will escort the Exalt back with my Pegasus Knights. We'll try to stay as safe as possible. You all head to Ferox. Cordelia, you will stay here with prince Chrom."

"But Captain!" Cordelia protested. "I know your heart is heavy." Phila interrupted. "But this is how it must be. Your knight sisters will be with you in spirit wherever you go."

Chrom sighed. "Alright. I will trust you, Emm. Try to stay safe. Remember, the people need you, but Lissa and I also need you. Don't go walking into your death." Lissa was crying off to the side.

"Dry your tears, dear." Emmeryn said to her sister. "This is not goodbye. I love you, Chrom and Lissa. Let us reunite in Ylisstol, with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will succeed."

"This is an absurd plan…" Chrom shook his head.

"You have the blood of the first exalt in you." Emmeryn told him. "You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I know that. Safe travels Chrom, safe travels, Lissa."

With that, the two groups parted ways. Emmeryn and Phila headed back to Ylisstol, while Chrom and the shepherds went off further north.

**Cordelia: Age: 17**

**Class: Pegasus Knight**


	12. The Secret Seller

**Author's Notes: **

**The timing in the game made things seem to go extremely quickly. It never made sense to me how they are able to travel from Regna Ferox to Plegia in a single day. This will, of course, be fixed to be a little bit more reasonable in my story.**

**That being said, I'm at home now for Spring break. You can expect a few more chapters in the coming week. In the meantime, enjoy chapter 12.**

**North of Breakneck Pass**

Chrom and the shepherds continued to march north, towards Plegia. As evening drew near, they found their way to a small Ylissean village, where the shepherds were welcomed with open arms.

They decided to lodge at a nearby inn. Even though the innkeeper told Chrom they could stay for free, the Ylissean prince insisted on paying. The innkeeper reluctantly accepted, but under the condition that they eat at the tavern for free.

Since it was not yet time for dinner, the shepherds scattered around town for some sightseeing. Some, like Sumia and Lissa, decided to go window shopping. Others, like Robin and Miriel, looked around town for a bookstore. Others still, like Vaike and Sully, decided to stay at the tavern and have a couple of drinks before dinner.

Robin was pretty satisfied. He had searched through the entire bookstore, and found a couple of rare texts. Or rather, rare in the sense that they were of significant use to him, and the shepherd's library didn't have them. He had to spend a pretty large amount of gold in order to buy them, but he felt it would be worth it. Soon, an hour had passed, and Robin started to make his way to the tavern.

On the way there, he ran into Ricken. "Hey Robin!" The young mage greeted. "Did you hear about what happened to Chrom?"

Robin frowned. "No, what did I miss?" Ricken grinned. "Oh, you won't believe this one. Someone tried to jump Chrom!" Robin blinked twice. "What?" "Yeah! Yeah! Here's what happened…"

By the time Ricken had finished his retelling of what happened, the two had made it back to the tavern. Robin found Chrom sitting at one of the tables, and made his way towards him.

A server came around and took Robin's order. When they left, the tactician turned to Chrom.

"So… uh, Chrom?" Robin awkwardly began. "Yes?" came the reply.

"I heard you got attacked today… what was that about?"

"Oh." Chrom laughed. "Some local thug approached me with a dagger. It was dark… the poor guy probably thought he was mugging a merchant!"

"And you challenged him alone?" Robin questioned. Chom's lips moved to the side. "Well, I wouldn't say 'challenged', more like 'shooed away'."

Robin shook his head. "I know you're capable, but please don't take any foolish risks. What if he hadn't been alone? You should've called someone for help."

Chrom laughed. "You know we're at war, right? Stepping onto the battlefield itself is a risk."

"I don't fear someone besting you head on," Robin retorted. "I fear you getting stabbed in the back. Many enemies do not share your sense of honor."

Chrom snorted. "You think any normal cutpurse could get the better of me?"

"History is a good indicator. There have been many leaders like you that have been betrayed or assassinated. You're our commander, Chrom. You are no longer your own man. You stand for all of us."

"Enough." Chrom conceded. "You are right… as you always are. I will be more careful in the future."

At this, the waitress came with Chrom and Robin's food. Many of the other shepherds were also eating by this point. Some of them brought their food over and sat next to the two. They ate and drank and laughed. There was no more serious talk for the rest of the evening.

**A couple hours later…**

Robin was in his room, reading under the light of a lamp. The rest of the shepherds had already gone to sleep. This meant he was not expecting the quiet knock on his door.

"Who is it?" he called out quietly. "It's me." A feminine voice replied. "Lissa."

Robin raised an eyebrow. He got up and opened the door. "Did you need something?

"Well…" Lissa murmured. "I couldn't sleep right now. I'm too worried about Emm. I got up to take a walk, and I saw some light coming from the crack under your room's door. I thought I'd come check if you were still awake."

Robin smiled. "I was just reading. I find that I can never fall asleep at the time when everyone normally sleeps, so I always end up staying up really late."

"Are you reading that same book? The one you read to me at the Farfort?" Lissa asked.

"No…." Robin began, "But I have that one with me, I can read to you again, if you want." he offered.

"Yes please! It'll be a great distraction for me." the princess chirped.

"Alright then." The tactician gestured towards the interior of his room. "Make yourself comfortable." Lissa gladly took the invitation, and sat on the edge of Robin's bed.

Robin retrieved the book from his satchel, and sat next to her. He began to read.

**A while later…**

"... Zhang'Fei was against the idea. 'Why should we go see him in person? All we need to do is send a messenger ordering him to come to us.' Liu'Bei shook his head. 'Dear brother, mister ZhuGe'Liang is truly a talented man. We are going to invite him in person, in order to show our sincerity. Even if we have to traverse the snow…." At this point, Robin realised that Lissa had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"Hmm, you didn't think this one through, did you?" he asked himself. He temporarily lowered Lissa's head onto his own pillow, and got up to walk outside. He made his way to Lissa's room, and found that, to his relief, the door was unlocked. He made his way back to his own room.

Robin picked up the sleeping princess, and carried her back to her own room. He placed her on the bed and tucked her in. "Sweet dreams…" he murmured, before heading back to his own room. At this point, he began to feel tired, and resolved to go to bed.

**The next morning…**

Robin woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. Even though he slept far fewer than many of the other shepherds, he was more chipper than most of them.

He met up with the rest of the shepherds downstairs. They were about to leave, but the innkeeper insisted they at least stay for breakfast. "You can't save the halidom on an empty stomach." he reasoned. Chrom agreed, and everyone filed into the tavern, once again.

After they ate, the shepherds hit the road again. As they marched, they could feel the temperature begin to drop. Soon, they began to see snow on the ground, which was a good sign that they were traveling in the right direction.

As they continued to march, the snow became more prevalent, until it covered the entire ground. The shepherds left a deep trench in the road with the sheer number of people marching in a single line.

Suddenly, Chrom noticed some people up ahead. "I wonder what they're doing?" he asked Frederick as he pointed them out.

"I don't know, milord, but perhaps we can ask them for some directions. Better safe than sorry." The knight replied.

The shepherds approached them. Chrom realized that it was a merchant desperately trying to save the life of an injured soldier.

"Hold fast!" the merchant pleaded. "I'll treat your wounds!" "Ngh… it's too late…" The soldier got out.

"Lissa! quick! " Chrom called. The princess rushed over and began to heal the soldier. Maribelle also gave a helping hand.

"What happened here?" Chrom asked the merchant. The merchant shook his head. "Nothing but death ahead, milord. Bandits have blocked the road ahead. They're demanding a king's ransom in illicit tolls for all who wish to pass."

"They think to profiteer on refugees?" Chrom mused. "Despicable."

"Our caravan's livelihood is at stake, milord." The merchant continued. "We'll do no business here anymore."

"The flow of good must be secured, milord." Frederick chimed in. "Otherwise, the people could starve."

"But," Robin interjected. "We really are pressed for time. Are we really able to take this detour?"

Chrom thought for a moment. "We are fighting this war to secure peace and prosperity for the citizens of Ylisse. We can't give them that if they're dead." Chrom began. "That being said, I am still worried for Emmeryn. We'll have to do this as quickly as possible."

Frederick nodded in agreement. "Aptly put milord, let's make haste towards the bandits."

Chrom turned to the merchant. "Where are they?" "Last I saw, they were to the east of us, they plan to pillage a village to the northeast. At least, that's what I assume they'll be doing."

Chrom turned to the shepherds. "C'mon, lets go beat some bandits. Follow me!" With that, the shepherds marched towards the northeast.

The shepherds marched until they saw some silhouettes moving about in the woods up ahead. Chrom turned to Robin. "So, what's the plan?" In response, Robin brought out his Hekseer. He scanned the surroundings.

"Alright, there are some bandits in the woods directly to the north of us." Robin began. "Their main force seems to be located to the East, across a small bridge. The village that we're trying to protect is to our northeast. It seems like there is a lone trickster defending it…"

"So what does it mean for us?" Chrom asked. "Well, we need to get reinforcements to the village as soon as possible. It will take too long to get their on foot, and the woods will make it difficult to get there on horseback..." Robin replied. "Sumia and Cordelia, you will ferry Chrom and Gaius over to the village to lend the village a hand. Most of the bandits approaching the village wield axes, so try to let Chrom and Gaius do most of the fighting. Go!"

The four immediately set off, flying over the woods and avoiding any archers they saw.

"The rest of us will fight as one group." Robin turned to the rest of the shepherds. "Due to the heavy woods around us, we need to move slowly, and move together. Our first objective is to clear the woods to the north of us of any bandits. Then, we move eastward and take on their main force."

By this point, the shepherds were fairly familiar with where they should position themselves in a front to back fight. The ranged units and healers filed towards the back. The squishier fighters stayed in the middle, and the armored units stayed in front.

{Sully and Stahl, I need you to ride east, and take control of the bridge. Don't let anyone cross it.} The cavalier pair rode off. Since the bandits around the bridge all used axes, Stahl took point, and was supported by Sully. The pair proved to be more than a match for a few random brigands, and handily took over the narrow bridge. They stood at one end, taking out any axe man that attempted to cross it.

Meanwhile, arrows flew at the shepherds from the woods up ahead. Kellam and Frederick did a great job of blocking them, while the rest of the shepherds hid behind their armored bodies. Ricken, Miriel, and Virion fired back. Both sides were firing fairly blindly, with neither side finding any hits.

{Lon'qu, Donnel, and Panne, I need you to sneak around the archers and take them out.} Robin instructed. {Try to focus your ranged attacks towards the middle of where we think they are, that way, it will be much less likely for us to hit them while they flank from the sides.} As he finished his assignments, Robin tumbled out to the side of Frederick's warhorse, and quickly fired a bolt of thunder at an enemy archer that brought his head out. "Checkmate!" he shouted as the spell hit the archer across the face, instantly killing him.

The two sides continued to fire ranged attacks at each other, the clearing in front of them quickly becoming no man's land. Suddenly, there were a few shouts of surprise from the bandit's side. The arrows stopped flying at the shepherds.

"Everyone, charge!" Robin ordered. The shepherds rushed out from their position and into the other set of woods.

By the time they got there, most of the bandits were taken out by Donnel, Panne and Lon'qu. Vaike managed to find a brigand trying to flee, and quickly cut him down.

When the shepherds regrouped with their three allies, Robin took notice of their injuries. Lon'qu had an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, while Donnel had a shallow cut on his cheek.

"Can you help them out, Lissa? Maribelle?" The healers immediately set to work. Lon'qu clenched his teeth and pulled out the arrow from his shoulder so Lissa could heal it, while Maribelle worked on Donnel's cut.

{Alright, let's head over to Sully and Stahl.} Robin said. As the shepherds began to move out of the woods towards the east, Robin took some time to check the Hekseer.

**Meanwhile…**

Sumia and Cordelia flew steadily towards the northeast. They ignored the bandits moving around in the woods below. Chrom and Gaius helped them look out for any potential archers.

When they reached the trickster, Gaius and Chrom dismounted, and the two Pegasus Knights flew back up into the air to support them from a higher altitude.

The trickster was busy fighting a brigand with her killing edge. Gaius rushed in and slashed the axeman across the back of his neck, while Chrom ran at another approaching bandit, killing the man with a single slash. Meanwhile, Sumia threw a javelin at an archer that was aiming at a diving Cordelia. The throwing spear scraped by the arrow that the archer was knocking, causing it to fly crooked when the archer let go. This bought Cordelia the time she needed to drive her steel lance into the man's chest, killing him.

Chrom turned to the redhead trickster. "Milady, are you hurt?" he gave her a once over. "It looks like you're fine. I guess I worried for nothing."

The trickster smiled and winked. "Yes, but it's still sweet of you, handsome."

"I hope you don't mind some help, we'll assist you in taking down these bandits." Chrom offered. "In exchange for some sweets." Gaius added. This earned the thief a disapproving look from the prince. "Kidding, I was only kidding." Gaius immediately clarified.

As Robin had told them, the bandits attacking the village were mostly axemen, so the combination of Chrom, Gaius, and the trickster, who introduced herself as Anna, were more than enough to hold them back.

**Back with Robin…**

The shepherds made their way to Stahl and Sully, who had been guarding the eastern bridge. They crossed, one by one, and set up to engage the brigands on an area to their south. Fortunately, there was only one small bridge that leads to the bandits. Robin's instructions were clear. {Frederick and Kellam, hold the bridge. They don't have as many people with ranged attacks, we can wear them down from a distance.}

The shepherds did just that. Miriel, Ricken, Virion and Robin hurled ranged attacks at the group of bandits across the river, while the bandits couldn't do much in response. Their one mage was taken out by a combination of Virion and Robin's deadly accuracy.

The bandits quickly became impatient. Some of them ran at the shepherds and attempted to cross the bridge, but they were quickly cut down by Frederick and his lance.

When it became clear that they were not going to win, many of the bandits opted to flee instead of being harassed from a distance. Their leader, a Berserker, grew tired as well. He picked up his axe, and charged the bridge himself.

"Give up now!" he taunted. "I am a perfect representation of my birth name, a Victor!"

Being inherently stronger than his henchmen, the Berserker actually did fairly well against the Great Knight. He dodged the initial lunge of the lance, and smashed his axe into the side of Frederick. While he did not do meaningful damage to the Great Knight, Victor was able to knock him out of the way.

He rushed past the sluggish Armored Knight in Kellam, and charged straight for his weakest nearby target: Lissa.

Frederick recovered and was about to go help the princess, but Robin had other things in mind. {We can handle him, but if more people slip by, we'll be in trouble. Hold the bridge!} he commanded. The Great Knight obliged, albeit reluctantly.

The bad news was, Virion, Miriel and Ricken couldn't attack the Berserker for fear of friendly fire. Fortunately for the shepherds, Donnel, Lon'qu, Vaike and Robin were able to keep him off their friends.

Donnel and Lon'qu swiftly moved out of the way of the Berserker's swings, and Robin, seeing an opening, ran in and swiped his scythe across the unwary Victor's right calf. The Berserker howled in pain and turned towards Robin, snarling in anger.

However, the damage was done. The cut from Naglrath began to sap Victor of his strength. He tried one last desperate swing at Vaike, but the axeman was able to block the Berserker's weakened strike. Panne took the opportunity to run in and kick Victor in the back, snapping his spine and killing the Berserker.

Once Victor was defeated, the rest of the bandits began to scatter. Even the ones originally sent to pillage the village heard of their leaders defeat and became reluctant to continue their assault.

Moments later, Chrom and his group rejoined Robin and his, and returned to the merchant that had initially given them the tip.

"A thousand thanks, good sir." The merchant said to Chrom. "I feared our goods would spoil before reaching a market. I'm certain the townsfolk would appreciate the fresh food as well."

Anna nodded. "It seems you've done a favor for my fellow merchants. As I introduced before, my name is Anna. Some call me the Secret Seller. Next time we meet, I'll be sure to cut you all an extra special deal. Until next time!"

Chrom nodded. "We're glad we were able to help. Unfortunately, we're also in a hurry as well. We need to head over to Regna Ferox, so we'll be on our way."

With that, the shepherds left, with the merchants waving goodbye to them until they marched out of sight.

The weather didn't get any warmer, but eventually, the shepherds made their way back to Ferox. Fortunately for them, they didn't experience anything close to what they had to go through the last time they came.

They took refuge in the Farfort once more. The night was fairly uneventful, as everyone was extremely tired from the fight earlier as well as the long day's march. Even Robin, who usually slept a lot later than most of the shepherds, found himself unable to keep his eyes open for much longer past the regular shepherds' bedtimes.

In the morning, the shepherds awoke, and after eating a quick breakfast passed out by the Feroxi soldiers, continued their march to the Feroxi capital.

They were given an audience with the Khans, and merely had to wait for them to arrive.

Lissa, however, was growing increasingly impatient. "Chrom?" She began. "Emmeryn will be fine right? She'll be safe inside the castle? Phila and the others will protect her, and once the khans assemble their troops, we can head back to the capital in time, right?"

The prince, however, was equally deep in thought, and missed his sister's question entirely.

"Chrom?" Lissa asked once again, waving her arms in front of his face. "Say something! Say, 'Yes, of course we will!'"

Chrom finally took notice of her. "...I'm sorry Lissa, were you saying something?"

"Ugh, fine!" Lissa pouted. "Let me know once you get out of your own head for a second."

Sumia decided to approach Chrom. "Snap out of it, Captain!" With that, she punched Chrom across his face.

"Ow!" Chrom complained. "What was that for?"

"Oh no!" Sumia responded. "Did I do it wrong? Captain Phila once said, a good slap will break someone out of their doldrums…"

Robin deadpanned. "Sumia, when you slap someone, you do it with an open palm. You just punched Chrom across the face."

"Ehrm…" Sumia murmured nervously. "It's the thought that counts?"

"Naga, that seriously hurt." Chrom muttered. Suddenly, there was laughter from the other side of the hall. "What's wrong, my dear prince? Sometimes love hurts!" Flavia said as she walked in. "You're lucky to have strong women in your army, and not just dainty flowers."

She waved her hand dismissively. "In any case, I bring good news. The Feroxi army has been mobilized. Every last man is itching to fight. I must say, I'm looking forward to a skirmish or two myself.

"Wait," Robin interjected. "You're coming along?"

Flavia scoffed at the question. "Of course! A khan must have her fun. I'm even bringing my insignificant other!"

"You're what?" Chrom asked.

"Basilio." Flavia clarified. "The oaf isn't good for much, but he can stop a few stray arrows."

Suddenly, the man in question ran in, panting. "Chrom! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Is something wrong?" Chrom asked.

"Our scouts have reported back." The west khan explained. "Dark news, I'm afraid. Ylisstol… has fallen."

"What?!" Chrom exclaimed in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

Basilio nodded. "The Plegians captured your Exalt and retreated across their border. Gangrel declared that she'll be publicly executed in three days.

"E-executed?" Chrom asked, dumbfounded.

"Oooh…." Lissa muttered, before fainting into Lon'qu's waiting arms. The myrmidon temporarily got over his distaste for women in order to make sure Lissa doesn't fall and hurt herself.

"Lissa?" Robin asked worryingly. "Lissa!"

"The dastard isn't trying to be subtle anymore." Flavia declared. Robin nodded. "I agree. It's an obvious trap."

"The Mad King knew our scouts would relay this information back." Basilio continued. "It's an obvious provocation. A hot brand to the buttocks! We should consider our options carefully before jumping to any-"

"Shepherds! We march to Plegia!" Chrom interrupted.

"Now hold on!" Basilio protested. "Sure, that's ONE option, but perhaps we've seen enough royalty waltzing into obvious traps already, right?"

Chrom grit his teeth. "I don't care if it's a trap, Basilio. He's going to murder my sister!"

"Peace, Chrom." Flavia tried to calm him. "No one's suggesting we don't act. We're simply saying that we should act WISELY. We'll need both guts AND wits in order to save your sister."

"The khans are right." Robin agreed. "I'm trying to work out a plan, Chrom."

"...All right, Robin." Chrom conceded. "I'll let you formulate a strategy for us."

"Are you certain you're up to the challenge?" Flavia asked skeptically. "You balance the Exalt's life in one hand, and all of ours in another. It won't be easy."

"It's a responsibility I don't take lightly." Robin said with resolve. "But I'm equal to the challenge."

Flavia laughed. "Well, at least you've got the stones. I like that!"

Basilio nodded in agreement. "No mincing words… no hesitation. He's either a genius or a fool! I suppose we'll find out when we march. Hold onto your tassets, Ylisseans! We've got an Exalt to save!"

With that, the shepherds prepared for the long march back to Ylisstol, with the Feroxi army in tow.


	13. The Grimleal

**Author's Notes: I've decided to include growth rates for characters, since it was a large part of the game. Because of that, there is a footnote that is longer than usual at the end of the chapter. Most of the growth rates will be the same as the game, but some are slightly changed, which favor some characters 'choosing' the more 'controversial' class change path. For example, Lissa's growth rate in strength is slightly higher than the game in order to favor her becoming a war cleric instead of a sage (it's the canonical class change, even if sage ****would ****make more sense.)**

**If you don't care, you can skip the footnote, but if you do, it's also there for you. **

**Here's chapter 13:**

The shepherds were marching along side the Feroxi soldiers with a grim look upon their faces. According to the Feroxi spies, Ylisstol has fallen and their Exalt has been captured by Plegia. She was to be publicly executed in three days.

As they marched, Robin was tossing some numbers around in his head.

"Chrom." He tapped the prince on his shoulder. "We have a problem."

"Hmm? What is it now?" The prince asked.

"If the execution is in three days, we might not make it in time." Robin began. "The only way to get there fast enough is if we go straight there. We can't make a pit stop at Ylisstol, or the journey will be too long."

Chrom gritted his teeth. "So we're to march to Plegia without Ylissean soldiers? What would that look like to Regna Ferox?" Robin sighed. "True, but time is of the essence. Let's take a break so we can talk it over with the khans."

Chrom agreed. He motioned for everyone to stop and rest. The khans, thinking something was up, approached the pair.

"Why are we stopping?" Basilio asked. "I thought we were in a time crunch."

"We need to discuss something of importance." Chrom began. "If the execution is in three days, we won't have time to make it to Ylisstol first. We'll have to march straight to Plegia."

"And is that a problem?" Flavia asked.

"Only if it is to you." Robin responded. "We weren't sure how you'd feel about fighting Plegia without a large amount of Ylissean troops to help. We have the shepherds, but there's only so many of us."

"Hah! That's what was bothering you? Worry not! It just means more fighting for the rest of us!" Basilio laughed. "If going straight to Gangrel is what we need to do, then do it!"

Chrom smiled. "Thank you, West Khan."

With that, Chrom signaled for everyone to start marching again. They began to head in the direction of Plegia.

They marched for several hours. Pretty soon, they had left behind the snowy landscape of Regna Ferox and the fresh spring atmosphere of Ylisse in exchange for the dry, arid deserts of Plegia.

They began to move much slower, because the horses were unable to find proper footing. To make things worse, the wind was blowing sand in their faces as they marched.

Robin turned around and saw Lissa walking closely behind Lon'qu, allowing the myrmidon to shield her from the blowing sand. He smiled. Even though Lon'qu had a crippling fear of women, it hadn't really affected him in battle, much to his relief. Recently, he'd even been fine with being in close proximity with Lissa. He knew if anyone would keep her safe from a potential assassination attempt, it was Lon'qu.

Pretty soon, everyone began to grow tired. Even the Feroxi soldiers were exhausted. After all, they were people too. Chrom decided that it was time to take a rest. Sumia and Cordelia flew to the Feroxi commanders marching nearby to inform them of a short break.

Chrom turned to Robin. "I'd like to think that it was our cunning that got us this far without being spotted, but we've seen no Plegian soldiers whatsoever. Whatever trap Gangrel has planned, he's in no hurry to spring it."

Robin nodded. "I thought it was weird too. I've been keeping an eye on my Hekseer, but with the wind blowing sand everyone, it's hard for it to get a good reading. I haven't spotted anyone unusual as of right now, though." he scratched his head. "But that honestly doesn't mean too much. Even Cordelia and Sumia would be able to spot enemy soldiers than my Hekseer right now."

Suddenly, Frederick ran up to the two. "Milord, Sumia has reported seeing some manner of engagement downfield."

Chrom nodded. "So I guess we're finally seeing some Plegians then? Get everyone ready to move."

With that, the shepherds stopped resting and went on the move again.

**A short distance ahead of the shepherds…**

A seemingly young girl ran across the desert sands, as if desperately trying to get away from something. Finally, she stops a moment to catch her breath.

"Have I… *huff huff* lost them?" she wondered to herself.

Suddenly, an older man ran up behind her. "Wait, I say! Why you no comprehending, wee little one?"

The response the man received was a scream. "Ahh! GET AWAY! Everyone just leave me ALONE!" the girl shrieked.

"Please!" The man begged. "Be keeping down with the voice! Is giving away position. Very bad!"

The girl ignored him. "My throat is dry, my shoes are full of sand, and some big weirdo is trying to KILL ME!"

The man looked extremely hurt. "Oy, you break Gregor's heart! Why you treat like villain?"

By this time, Chrom and the shepherds had gotten into hearing distance of the girl's screams.

"You there, fiend! Keep your hands off that maiden!" The Ylissean prince yelled.

The man turned to the newcomers and yelled back. "Who is fiend? You mean Gregor? No, you are making the mistake. Gregor is friend, not fiend!"

"Yeah right!" Lissa interjected. "Creep!"

The man, Gregor, put a hand to his forehead. "Oy! This day has been nothing but insults and the punches to groin. And for doing good deed too! Listen friend, Gregor only want-"

He was interrupted by a third party. "Gotcha, ya slippery scamp! Prepare for a dose of Grima's wrath! No one can escape from the clutches of Chalard!"

"Oy! This is most terrible." Gregor turned back to Chrom and the shepherds. "You be with the seeing now? They make with the catching of us."

Chrom frowned. "Why are you all after the girl?" he asked.

Gregor facepalmed. "All? Who is all? Gregor is not one of all! Maybe you don't see from far, but Gregor has innocent baby face!"

"Hmm…." Chrom looked in though. "Well…" Lissa muttered. "I don't know if I'd describe it as baby like…." Robin added.

"Look." Gregor said in desperation. "Never be minding. Gregor is trying to help here. You must believe!"

"This is making my head hurt." Chrom finally said. "We'll sort this out later. For now, our priority is to protect that girl."

"Y-you're going to help me?" The girl asked.

Chrom nodded. "We'll do everything in our power to keep you safe. Just hold on until we can reach you, and we'll drive them off!"

With that, the shepherds began to move rapidly in their direction.

"So, what's the plan?" Chrom asked as they ran.

{Cordelia, take Gaius and fly to the southwestern village. Warn them of the fighting that might be going on. Sumia, take Ricken and fly to the southeastern villages and do the same thing. They don't seem to have any archers, but try to stay safe and out of range of the opponent's mages.}

The four people called by Robin immediately set off to complete their tasks.

{Calvary units and Kellam, try to stay close, I know it's difficult. Protect our backside from any potential enemy reinforcements. Donnel, Lon'qu, Chrom and Vaike will be our frontline for this battle. Our general strategy will be very similar.}

They steadily moved forward. A myrmidon ran towards Gregor and the girl. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed before pulling out a dragonstone. She was enveloped in a bright light, and when it faded, a colorful dragon took her place.

"What in the blazes? That girl's a dragon!" Chrom exclaimed in surprise.

"By the gods, she's a manakete!" Robin also exclaimed. "I read about this, but I didn't think any actually existed! Hm…." He paused in thought. "Maybe she doesn't need our help as much as we need hers…"

The girl in question breathed a bolt of magical energy towards the myrmidon, causing the man to scream in pain when it hit. "No one ever messes with Nowi!" she screamed in a higher pitched roar. However, after expending a large amount of strength, the girl reverted back to her human form. This gave a brigand an opportunity to charge at the weakened girl.

"Get back!" Gregor exclaimed as he dove at Nowi. He grabbed the girl and tumbled out of the way of the opposing axeman's swing. "Oy! Is the wee little on OK?" he asked, patting the now known to be Nowi on her head. "Y-yes, thank you." she replied.

The brigand did not falter. He continued to run at the pair. Gregor picked up his steel sword, and engaged the axeman. It was no contest. Gregor was clearly higher skilled, and coupled with the weapon advantage, easily killed off his attacker.

Meanwhile, Chrom and the shepherds were assaulted by a few Plegians while they marched forward. However, they did not have a capable tactician like Robin, and so their movements were not synced together. The Plegians approached them seemingly one at a time, which gave the shepherds the ability to take them out handily.

Vaike knocked an already struggling cavalier off their horse so Donnel could stab the man in the chest. Lon'qu slashed up a dark mage that got too close. Chrom engaged a myrmidon and won with the support from Virion's arrows.

Robin didn't turn around, but he saw on the Hekseer that Stahl, Sully, Kellam and Frederick were engaging a couple of Plegian axemen to their rear. It would have been pretty smart of them to try and circle around the Ylisseans, since they were busy rushing towards Nowi and Gregor. However, Robin was able to make use of the otherwise useless cavaliers in the desert sand in order to prevent that.

Soon, they reached the pair. They were still holding on. Gregor proved to be quite capable, taking down anyone that challenged him one on one. Although he received a few minor wounds, the same could not be said for his dead enemies. Whenever multiple Plegians rushed them at once, Nowi consumed some energy from her dragonstone and blasted them from close range. The short time frames where Nowi was not in dragon form were covered by Gregor, protectively standing over her.

A Plegian dark mage ran into position, completely unhindered by the desert's sand. He aimed an Elfire tome carefully, and launches it directly at Nowi.

Nowi had just reverted back to her human form. She was beginning to feel exhausted. By the time she saw the spell hurling towards her, it was too late for her to dodge. "Ahhh!" she cried before shielding her head with her hands. "Argh!" she heard a grunt. She expected the spell to hurt… a lot. But instead, she felt nothing.

Upon opening her eyes, she found Gregor with a large burn wound over his chest. He clearly had jumped in front of the attack that was meant for her. She looked up to see a couple of Plegian axe fighters running towards them. However, unlike the multiple times before, Gregor was down and unable to protect her. She began to cry.

Fortunately for Nowi, the shepherds arrived in time. Chrom, Donnel, Vaike and Lon'qu dashed past the manakete kneeling before a fallen Gregor and began to engage in the enemy. Miriel and Virion stopped and got into position around them, and got ready to retaliate with ranged attacks.

Maribelle and Lissa rushed over to the fallen mercenary, and got to work healing the burn wound. With two talented healers working together, the wound quickly healed. Even Gregor's painful expression disappeared from his face. "Th-thank you!" Nowi gratefully exclaimed "Thanks for helping me." Tears of relief fell down her face.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see the compassionate brown eyes of the Ylissean tactician looking back at them. "You've done plenty already. Take a rest. The shepherds will handle this." Nowi numbly nodded in agreement as the tactician ran off to help Chrom and the others as they charged towards the oasis that the rest of the Plegian's were standing upon.

"Ho ho! *grunt* The wee little one is safe, no?" Gregor managed to get out with a lot of effort. "Yes. Although your use of language is somewhat abhorrent, I must admit that you acted in an extremely chivalrous way." Maribelle responded to him as she continued to heal his wounds.

"Yeah!" Lissa agreed. "Maybe you aren't a creep after all. Sorry about that earlier."

Gregor grinned. "It is not of a problem." he said. "Gregor is just making with the helping of ones in need." With that, he stopped talking and let the two healers continue treating him.

On the combat side, the shepherds were still steadily advancing. They plowed their way through the Plegian soldiers, and made their way towards their leader, Chalard.

The dark mage in question didn't even panic. Instead, he cackled and pulled out a dark purple tome. Channeling for a few seconds, Chalard aimed a spell at the charging shepherds.

Lon'qu barely had time to move out of the way, before the ground he was standing on was decimated by a dark spell. The few plants that were growing there withered and died, and faint trails on energy returned to the caster.

"What the?" Lon'qu wondered, having never seen a spell like that before.

"Watch out! That's a Nosferatu tome! It'll drain your life energy away." Robin called. Even with his warning, Vaike was unable to dodge the second spell that was thrown his way. He simply was not fast enough. Fortunately for him, Robin dove in front of the attack, placing his back towards the spell.

"Robin!" Lon'qu exclaimed in both anger and panic. Having been on the receiving end of a dark spell, he knew just how destructive they could be. Hearing Lon'qu's cry, Lissa also looked up and gasped at the sight.

Chrom gritted his teeth. When the dust settled, Robin was lying face down in the sand.

"Ha ha! One spell, one kill!" Declared the triumphant Chalard. "Nothing can withstand the might of Grima!"

"Robin…" Nowi echoed the cries of many of the shepherds. Even though she hadn't known him for long, she already felt that he was far more friendly than any of the men on Plegia's side.

After a brief moment of utter silence, Robin picked himself up and dusted himself off. "That was it?" he asked aloud. "I was expecting a lot more from a dark mage." He turned around to face the Plegians, who were also in shock that Robin had lived. The shepherds got a glance at Robin's backside, and found that the patterns weaved into his cloak were glowing purplish red, but was otherwise no different than before he took the hit.

"Honestly, the reason I stayed down wasn't because I was hurt." Robin continued. "I was just in utter shock at how _pathetic_ your attack was." he taunted. His eyes began to glow the same purplish red color.

"W-wait… where have I seen him before?" Chalard muttered to himself. "This… He can't be a Ylissean!"

Robin began to charge the dark mage. Chalard turned to the few dark mages next to him. "What are you all doing? Attack!"

The mages began to fire spells at Robin. He slashed through every one with his scythe, the spells harmlessly fizzling out after being cut through by Naglrath. When he had an opening, he slashed his scythe, which was glowing purple at some of the mages. A blade of dark magic flew through the air, tearing through his targets and killing them.

When he got within melee range of Chalard, his scythe all of a sudden changed color. Instead of glowing purple, it turned red. Robin plunged the blade into the chest of the dark mage. The life slowly began to fade from his target's eyes. Robin had a menacing grin on his face.

"The...the prince… why…. he was supposed to be...?" Chalard muttered, before falling down, dead. No one besides Robin heard him though.

The nearby Plegians, seeing their leader fall, all turned and ran back in the direction of the capital.

Chrom approached Robin. "So, would you mind explaining to me how you're unharmed after being hit by that spell?" "Yeah!" Vaike chimed in. "Not that I'm not grateful, but how th' hell are you still standing?"

Robin stopped and coughed up some blood into his hand. "In truth, I was hurt by it. But I played it off that I was completely fine. I don't know, it felt like all of a sudden I was a completely different person."

"When I got hit by that dark spell, I almost died." Lon'qu stated. "You were hit directly by a stronger spell, and yet you seem to have taken less damage. Why is that?"

"I believe I have a feasible solution to your conundrum." Miriel interjected. "My conclusion, based on the evidence of Robin's glowing attire is that his clothes have been sewn with anti-magic silk."

At this, Robin nodded his head. "Ah yes, I think I read about it somewhere. But isn't that supposed to be a myth?"

"Aptly put. I shared the same initial conclusion. And yet, it is difficult to refute such fascinating and concrete evidence right in front us."

Chrom chuckled. "Ah, Robin. I guess you just keep surprising us. Do you need medical help?"

Robin put up his hand. "It's dark magic. Regular staves will be pretty ineffective. I'll go around the Plegian corpses, and harvest what energy is left in them. It should be enough to get me to a fairly healthy state."

Chrom nodded. Just as Robin left to go do just that, Cordelia and Sumia landed with their passengers next to Chrom. "Captain! We've successfully warned the villagers." Sumia declared, with Cordelia nodding in agreement.

"Good job." Chrom praised. "Now fly to the adjacent Feroxi troops. Tell them we were held down by some Plegians, and we will require a little bit of time to regroup. After we rest, we'll continue marching."

The two Pegasus Knights nodded, and flew off to follow their orders.

**A few moments earlier…**

Cordelia wasn't pleased with her assignment. For one, she was given the job of a glorified messenger, and to make things worse, she was assigned with Gaius. Ignoring temporarily the fact that he used to be a thief, and a wanted criminal in Ylisstol, he also looked a mess. But for now, she had to tolerate it, because it was what she had been assigned.

As they approached the village, they saw a brigand approaching it.

"I got him! Let me down!" Gaius exclaimed. Cordelia gladly obliged. When her pegasus drew closer to the ground, Gaius leapt off of her mount, and charged the Plegian brigand.

He quickly darted around his opponent, dodging a couple strikes from the Plegian. Eventually, he saw an opening and darted in, slicing his opponent's throat. Simultaneously, Cordelia landed next to him.

"Not bad, eh?" Gaius asked the Pegasus Knight. "Your form could use some work, and you darted around him too excessively." The Pegasus Knight critiqued. Gaius rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'll work on it." "And…" Cordelia continued. "You really should watch your appearance. Cut your hair, wash your clothes maybe…"

Gaius furrowed his eyebrows. "And why does it matter to you?" Cordelia's eyes grew extremely wide. "You're one of Chrom's allies, so your appearance is a reflection of him. When you look like you were rolling around in the garbage, it leaves people with a bad impression of Chrom. I can't have that." Gaius rolled his eyes again. "Okay Mother. I'll work on it."

Cordelia sighed. "Good. Now let's go warn the villagers." With that, she left Gaius for the village. The thief shrugged, and followed after her.

**Back to the present…**

Nowi was currently on the edge of a breakdown. "This is the WORST day EVER! *sob*"

"Ho oh! Wee one!" Gregor tried to comfort her, already feeling much better. "Do not make with the crying of the tears. The bad people are dead, no?"

Nowi dried her tears. "You… you're right. Thank you for saving me earlier, I never thanked you for that. And I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier. You were just going to help me. I just get nervous when I'm around people… outside my age group."

"You're age group?" Gregor laughed. "Gregor is much closer to your age group than others here!"

"So, um… Gregor, was it?" Chrom interjected. "Gregor, do you mind looking after her? We must press on."

Gregory pondered something for a moment. "Hmm… Gregor is mercenary, yes? Perhaps you hire Gregor instead. True, Gregor just finished killing former employers, but they were very bad. Gregor still is very reliable. So long as you do not hurt little girl, Gregor no hurt you! Also…" he scratched his head nervously. "Gregor need steady income. ... Many angry former employers."

"You're a sellsword?" Chrom asked. Gregor nodded. "Yes! Very swell sword! Cost performance very high! You have Gregor's word."

"But… but what about me?" Nowi asked in desperation. "I WON'T go back to the auction block!"

"Wait…" Lissa interrupted. "You've been sold? Like a slave?"

Nowi nodded. "Uh huh. To men more despicable than you can imagine. They made me transform for them… they drank and laughed… and *sniff* called out tricks…"

"What scumbags would sell a little girl?" Lissa exclaimed angrily. "Even if she CAN turn into a dragon…"

"She may look young, milady." Frederick interjected. "But do not be fooled. Manaketes can live for a long time."

"Really?" Lissa wondered. "How old are you, Nowi?" "Oh, I dunno." Nowi said as her eyes rolled up while she thought about it. "A thousand… something? But look, no wrinkles!"

Frederick nodded. "The dragonkin are known to be more resilient than man. Nowi would make a strong ally. Besides… we can't risk her falling back into the arms of the Grimleal."

"Beg pardon, but what are the Grimleal?" Robin asked, as he returned.

"Followers of the Fell Dragon, Grima." Frederick told him. "He is the god of destruction and chaos, and the patron deity of Plegia. There are some that still pine for his return."

"Much like how Naga is the god that Ylisseans follow, Grima is the one that Plegians follow." Chrom explained.

"So… since I'm from Plegia, does that mean I used to be a Grimleal?" Robin asked worryingly.

"It's definitely possible." Frederick told him truthfully. "Your cloak and weapon both have symbols of Grima on them. But it's also possible that you weren't. After all, there are still Ylisseans who don't worship Naga, but have symbols and icons of her for good luck or something of that sort."

"Well, I see you have something that you needed to take care of." Flavia said as she approached them. "Don't worry. The Feroxi are here because of you. We'll follow the shepherds on this one. We've already ordered everyone to rest until you guys are ready to march. Take your time, we'll need all our strength soon."

Chrom nodded. "Alright, we'll take a little bit of time to recuperate. Then we'll continue."

The shepherds did just that. They took a break, rehydrated, tended to their wounds, before continuing to march on towards the capital of Plegia...

**Robin: HP: 70% Str: 60% Mag: 95% Skl: 65% Spd: 55% Lck: 25% Def: 25% Res: 75%**

**Tharja: HP: 80% Str: 20% Mag: 80% Skl: 40% Spd: 60% Lck: 40% Def: 45% Res: 30%**

**Henry: HP: 85% Str: 40% Mag: 65% Skl: 60% Spd: 55% Lck: 40% Def: 50% Res: 30%**

**Chrom: HP: 85% Str: 60% Mag: 10% Skl: 60% Spd: 60% Lck: 70% Def: 45% Res: 25%**

**Lissa: HP: 60% Str: 45% Mag: 50% Skl: 45% Spd: 50% Lck: 55% Def: 30% Res: 50%**

**Frederick: HP: 110% Str: 65% Mag: 10% Skl: 55% Spd: 50% Lck: 40% Def: 55% Res: 25%**

**Sully: HP: 85% Str: 65% Mag: 10% Skl: 60% Spd: 60% Lck: 60% Def: 45% Res: 25%**

**Virion: HP: 80% Str: 65% Mag: 15% Skl: 75% Spd: 60% Lck: 40% Def: 35% Res: 30%**

**Stahl: HP: 95% Str: 65% Mag: 10% Skl: 55% Spd: 50% Lck: 50% Def: 45% Res: 40%**

**Vaike: HP: 105% Str: 75% Mag: 10% Skl: 65% Spd: 50% Lck: 45% Def: 50% Res: 10%**

**Miriel: HP: 50% Str: 10% Mag: 80% Skl: 60% Spd: 60% Lck: 50% Def: 25% Res: 40%**

**Sumia: HP: 55% Str: 45% Mag: 45% Skl: 70% Spd: 70% Lck: 60% Def: 30% Res: 40%**

**Kellam: HP: 100% Str: 65% Mag: 15% Skl: 55% Spd: 45% Lck: 35% Def: 70% Res: 35%**

**Donnel: HP: 105% Str: 75% Mag: 15% Skl: 65% Spd: 70% Lck: 100% Def: 65% Res: 40%**

**Lon'qu: HP: 80% Str: 55% Mag: 20% Skl: 75% Spd: 75% Lck: 55% Def: 30% Res: 25%**

**Ricken: HP: 75% Str: 10% Mag: 75% Skl: 50% Spd: 50% Lck: 65% Def: 35% Res: 35%**

**Maribelle: HP: 65% Str: 10% Mag: 70% Skl: 50% Spd: 50% Lck: 80% Def: 15% Res: 55%**

**Panne: HP: 100% Str: 60% Mag: 15% Skl: 70% Spd: 75% Lck: 40% Def: 50% Res: 40%**

**Gaius: HP: 85% Str: 60% Mag: 20% Skl: 70% Spd: 70% Lck: 35% Def: 30% Res: 20%**

**Cordelia: HP: 90% Str: 60% Mag: 10% Skl: 60% Spd: 70% Lck: 45% Def: 45% Res: 35%**

**Gregor: HP: 105% Str: 60% Mag: 10% Skl: 65% Spd: 50% Lck: 45% Def: 50% Res: 15%**

**Age: 32**

**Class: Mercenary**

**Nowi: HP: 120% Str: 65% Mag: 40% Skl: 50% Spd: 50% Lck: 65% Def: 65% Res: 50%**

**Age: 1000+**

**Class: Manakete**

**I know it's a lot of numbers all at once, and if you don't really care, don't worry, it won't have a large impact on the story. It's just some extra information that, in case you do care, you have at your fingertips. In the future, there will only be the stats given for newly introduced characters.**


	14. Emmeryn

**Author's Notes:**

**The beauty of being on break is that I have more free time. I managed to finish another chapter today, so it's another day of consecutive uploads!**

**I must admit, I do quite enjoy writing about little Lucina. I'm inspired to work hard on any chapter that I know will contain some of that fluff. You can consider it my dessert.**

**There's another pairing that has, previously been implied, but now is confirmed in this chapter. (Once again, it's subtle, see if you can find it.)**

**Without further ado, enjoy chapter 14:**

**The Shepherd's temporary camp, just outside of Plegia's capital, Dohlr.**

Robin, Chrom and the Feroxi Khans were gathered in the command tent.

"Reporting in!" A new voice called.

"Come in." Chrom replied, and a Ylissean spy walked into the tent. "What have you got to report?" The Ylissean prince asked the spy.

"We found the location of the Exalt." the spy began. "She's been held at castle Dohlr, in the dungeons. A few of us were able to see her there. She was in chains, but otherwise didn't seem to receive any abuse."

"That's good to hear." Robin said. "How strong are the defenses at the dungeon?"

"Regretfully, I must say that if your plan is to break her out of the dungeon, it would be extremely difficult to get her out. They've at least half a dozen platoons patrolling the area at any given time." The spy shook his head. "Normally, only a single platoon will do, but given the circumstances, I fear that Gangrel took precautionary measures to ensure that the Exalt cannot be rescued."

Robin furrowed his brows. "Hmm, we really don't have that option then. Suppose we were able to sneak into Dohlr undetected… that would probably mean we can only take a few of us..." He made a few motions on a map they had over the table. "I'd say the maximum number we could take is probably four people. Any more, and it'll warrant an inspection at the entrance of the city… But still, we'd have to be able to beat six platoons of soldiers in an enclosed space, without allowing anyone to get away to bring reinforcements… " he paused for a moment. "Even then, there's the issue of getting Emmeryn out of the city without alerting the Plegian soldiers stationed outside… yes, I believe it IS an impossible task, given the resources we have."

"So we can't break her out of prison." Chrom concluded. "Is there a chance we'll be able to rescue her from her execution?"

The spy nodded. "Yes. King Gangrel wishes for the execution to be a public spectacle. All Plegians in Dohlr are encouraged to attend. From the information we've gathered, it seems that they plan to loosen the guard on the prisons when Emmeryn is not there, but milady Phila and her Pegasus Knights should still be there… I don't know if that will be of use."

"So then, that'll be much easier for us to sneak in with." Robin concluded. "I'll have to make some plans then, including the rescue of Phila..."

"The exalt is to be executed at the castle on the morrow." The spy said, finishing his report. "I heard it from the king's own lips, sire."

Robin turned to Chrom and the Khans. "Would there be any way I could get a more detailed map of castle Dohlr's courtyard?"

"My men can get one for you." Basilio offered. "When do you want it by?"

"As soon as possible." Robin replied. "Thank you, Khan Basilio."

The west Khan shook his head. "No, you're the one forming the plan. We're just here to help in whatever way we can. There's no need to thank me. I'll get someone to find a map right now." With that, the muscular Khan walked out to find his soldiers.

Chrom motioned that the spy was allowed to leave. "So this is it, then." Flavia said.

"Yes." Robin agreed. "Tomorrow will be the true test…" Flavia placed a hand on his shoulder. "Chin up! Show some confidence! It's your strategic thinking that got us this far. The plan is risky, but in such situations, some risk is merited."

Chrom nodded in agreement. "We'll find a way, Robin, don't worry. By this time tomorrow, we'll be heading home to Ylisstol, swapping stories with Emm."

Robin smiled. "I really hope you're right."

**Meanwhile, in a shadow realm outside of the existence of reality…**

Validar walked around in the shadow realm, and approached a mysterious figure. "Master Grima, the Exalt will be executed by my brother tomorrow. The events of history will soon be on course, as per usual."

"Good…" A voice replied. "Things that have happened, will happen again, did I not say something similar to you?"

Validar began to laugh. "I should never have doubted the truth of your words. The yoke of destiny cannot be cast off! Even as they resist, they write your future with every step, O great one!"

The voice began to chuckle. "Indeed, my faithful servant. You're needed in the coming days. Although the same cannot be said for your brother. He was a useful tool, but even the best tools must be cast off once they're broken… Be patient, Validar… The time for us to step on stage has not come yet…"

With that, the figure turned around and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Validar alone, watching reality from a realm completely separate from it.

**Undisclosed location, in Plegia…**

A cloaked woman ran through the woods, desperately trying to flee from the soldiers chasing after her. Her long, white hair flew into the air as she ran, trying to make an escape with the newborn child in her arms.

She'd been running for nearly half an hour now. The Plegian soldiers, however, were not discouraged. They continued their chase, screaming insults after her the entire way.

She snuck a look backwards, and saw a particularly fast soldier steadily gaining on her. With her arms full, she wasn't able to reach into her cloak for her thoron tome. Even if she were able to, it wouldn't have done any good, as she had exhausted all of the pages from it, fighting with the Plegian soldiers earlier. She decided to risk it, and began channeling the spell without the help from a tome.

A lazer of thunder erupted from her palm, blasting through the neck of the soldier, causing him the fall lifeless to the ground. The woman let out a sigh of relief, but could feel herself growing more and more tired.

Finally, she ran to the edge of a river. She stepped down from the woodlands onto the bank of the river. She turned back, and saw the raised earth, with roots of larger trees sticking out. Instead of crossing the river, she decided to take a risk and run alongside it.

Fortunately, her risk payed off. She found a cleft in the earth along the river bank, large enough to hide it. Without needing to think, she crawled into it, holding the baby in her arms. The roaring of the river made it impossible for the Plegian soldiers to hear any sound the baby made. It was a safe hiding spot.

She stayed there for several minutes and was able to catch her breath. In the distance, she could hear the shouting of Plegian soldiers, no doubt still chasing after her. She heard the sound of many people crossing the river a large distance away, probably thinking she had done the same. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, a man jumped down from above her, onto the river bank. "Well, well, well, look who I've managed to find..." an all too familiar sorcerer grinned evily as he sized up the woman. "And she's with the child too… how fortunate for me."

"Validar…" the woman breathed. "I knew I should never have associated myself with you."

The sorcerer laughed. "Oh, but Katerina, what choice did you have? It was destiny for you and for me." He grinned. "Think about it… is it really so bad? Birthing the incarnate of the fell dragon, isn't that a privilege? There are many Plegian woman who would love to be in your shoes."

The woman got out of her hiding spot, seeing as it was irrelevant anymore, and it was also becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "What you're trying to do will spell the end of the world, not just for Ylisse, but for Plegia as well! How can you expect me to agree to such things?"

Validar scowled. "You… don't… have… a… CHOICE!" he growled menacingly. "Give me the child!"

"No!" Katerina exclaimed as she fired a thoron spell at Validar. However, the sorcerer was able to pull out a purple tome and counter the spell with his own dark magic.

"A nice try, Kat." he grinned at the panting woman. "It almost could've worked. But since I now see that there's no convincing you, I guess that leaves me with only one option."

He produced a blade of dark energy and began to step closer to his wife. "No… no… please!" Katerina begged. Validar ignored her. He made one clean slash downwards, severing the woman's neck. Blood splattered all over Validar and the newborn child.

Validar put his tome away. He reached down and picked the child up.

He laughed menacingly. "You are MY child now…"

**The day of the exalt's execution…**

"... AAAAHHH!" Robin screamed as he sat up from his bedroll. The sound of running towards his tent could be heard from the outside.

Lissa poked her head in. "Robin? Hey Robin, what's wrong?" she asked, seeing that he seemed to be fine.

Robin shook his head. "I… I think I just had a nightmare." he placed a hand to his forehead. "The details are a bit fuzzy, but I think that's what it was." he turned to the princess. "What brings you here? Did you need something?"

Lissa nodded. "Everyone's beginning to tear down camp. Frederick says it's almost time to march. We can't start our plan without our master tactician!"

Robin facepalmed. "How could I forget?" he murmured to himself. The realization of what was about to take place caused butterflies to appear in his stomach. He did NOT look forward to today.

Sighing, he picked himself up from his bedroll to get dressed.

**A while later…**

The shepherds made their way to the courtyard of castle Dohlr. Many Plegian civilians were already there. The Plegian soldiers either didn't notice, or purposely allowed the shepherds to make their way in with the crowd. Robin hoped it was the former.

Pretty soon, Emmeryn appeared at the top of a cliff. A brigand holding an executioner's axe stood right behind her.

"Emmeryn!" Chrom aggressively whispered. "Sis!" Lissa did the same.

Gangrel appeared on the steps to the entrance to the castle, with the woman (Robin remembered as Aversa) following right behind him. He warmly welcomed the citizens of Plegia.

"Good people! Warriors of Plegia, Welcome!" The Mad King shouted. "Your anticipation ELECTRIFIES the air! We ALL remember the war crimes of Ylisse… Would you have their witch queen answer for them? Here and now? Finally, we will have JUSTICE!"

A roar of agreement rose from the crowd below. Chrom and the shepherds were itching to act, but Robin shook his head disapprovingly, telling them to wait. Behind the scenes, a dispatchment of Feroxi soldiers were at work, freeing Phila and her knights. They needed to buy them as much time as humanly possible, in order for their plan to work.

Finally, Gangrel looked towards the brigand behind Emmeryn. "Executioner, if you would be so kind…"

The man began to approach Emmeryn with his axe raised high.

"Now!" Robin shouted. Virion pulled out his bow, nocked an arrow and proceeded to hit the executioner, all in the manner of a single second. The executioner fell to his death below, and the crowd began to panic. They all tried to run towards the exit of the courtyard as soon as possible.

Soon, the only people left were the shepherds, some Feroxi soldiers, and the Plegian guards.

"Take out the soldiers first!" Chrom shouted. "We'll deal with the Mad King later!"

Gangrel scowled. "Oh will you now? Little do you know, we've been expecting you." He turned to the soldiers around him. "Guards! Kill him! Kill his sister! Kill them ALL!" with that, he laughed triumphantly and retreated back into the castle with Aversa. He did not notice a certain white haired tactician amongst the shepherds ranks.

{Shepherds, find your assigned partners and begin to move towards the south, as fast as possible!"} Robin told everyone. As he said this, he found Nowi. The manakete had been extremely adamant that she pair up with him. He couldn't understand why, but it'll work for his plan anyways, so he let it slide.

The shepherds made their way south. They were met with a couple of Spear Fighters. Vaike handily took out one of them with a swift cleave of his axe. Lon'qu engaged the other one. Despite the weapon advantage, Lon'qu still looked like in control of the situation, due to the skill difference. Lissa supported him from afar, and Ricken even threw a wind spell their way when the spear fighter left an opening. Off to his side, Virion shot down a approaching Wyvern Rider.

{Robin! There's someone fighting by themselves towards the south! She looks to be on our side!} Robin heard Sumia inform him. He checked his Hekseer, and sure enough, there was a green icon to their south.

{Ferry Chrom over there, see if you can talk to her and find out if she's an ally.} Robin instructed. {Make sure you don't get hit by a stray arrow.} As Robin said this, Donnel rushed forward and cut down an archer.

They continued to press on. Ricken, Miriel and Robin all fired a spell of their respective elements at another Wyvern Rider as he flew above them.

{Robin, I talked to him.} Robin all of a sudden heard Chrom say in his head. {Excellent, she's an ally?} he responded. {Well... } Chrom began awkwardly. {It's one of Emmeryn's followers. And it's a HE}

Robin blinked. {They're not a woman?} he looked at the Hekseer's icon closely. {We all thought that at first, but I can safely say now that it's a man.} Chrom responded. {He's a War Monk named Libra.} Robin shook his head. He'll sort this out later. {Alright. Stay next to him. Since I don't have him marked in the Hekseer, I can't give him orders from afar. I'll have to give them to you and you'll have to tell him.}

After he heard an affirmation from Chrom, he was interrupted by Lissa's frantic shouting. "Robin! Look! Wyverns behind us!" Robin turned around, and sure enough, there was a platoon of Wyvern Riders approaching from the north.

{Sully, Stahl, Frederick, Panne, Kellam, Gregor. Engage them. Ranged units, provide fire support.} Robin commanded. The three slower traveling pairs had been assigned to guard their rear, a move that was paying its dividends now.

As they continued southward to meet up with Chrom, Libra, Gaius and the two Pegasus Knights, Robin could hear the painful screams of the Wyverns as they were slashed open by Stahl's wyrmslayer, shot down by Virions arrows, blasted by the magic of Ricken and Miriel, or simply impaled by Frederick's lance. The plan had been going fine as of right now. The Feroxi soldiers were outside the castle courtyard, engaging in the foot soldiers of Plegia. 'That must be why only the Wyvern Riders could make it past them.' Robin mused to himself.

**Meanwhile, with Chrom…**

Chrom was holding out in some abandoned forts with Gaius, Libra, Sumia and Cordelia. He knew that Robin was making his way over with the slightly slower units right away. He slashed an approaching Wyvern Rider down, and looked over to see Cordelia dive towards a Plegian mage.

Over on his other side, Sumia threw a javelin at a dark mage, killing the Plegian before he could finish casting his spell. Gaius ran out from the fort and cut down an archer taking aim at Cordelia.

Libra whirled his Killer Axe around, cleaving a spear fighter in half. From the looks of it, Chrom couldn't even tell that he was a holy man if he judged him only by his ability to kill.

Suddenly, he heard the painful cry of Gaius. He turned around to see a female dark mage throw a thunder spell, seemingly annoyingly at him. Cordelia rushed in and picked the wounded thief up. She brought him back to Libra, who began to work on healing him.

The Plegian dark mage rolled her eyes and began to saunter over to them.

Chrom, thinking something was up, approached her. "You there!" he called to her. "Are you with the Plegians? You seem reluctant to fight."

The dark mage rolled her eyes again. "Death will come for all of us eventually." she began. "Why invite it early, for a cause I don't believe in?"

Chrom looked confused. "So… is that a no, then?"

The dark mage sighed in exasperation. "I may be Plegian, but I don't have the will to fight against you like the others." she began. "Let's just say, my only reason to fight for Plegia left me, in what seems to be an eternity ago."

Chrom shook his head and laughed. "First Libra, and now you? I doubt Robin had all this in mind when he formed his strategy."

Upon hearing his words, the dark mage froze. "Wait… what did you just say?" she demanded.

"Er… I just said that our tactician probably did not foresee all this in his plan." Chrom told her nervously. The dark mage shook her head. "No, not that. I heard you call him 'Robin'. Describe him for me."

"Uh…" Chrom began nervously. "White hair, brown eyes, darkish purple cloak, wields a wicked looking scythe and tomes?"

"Yep, yep, yep, yep and… yep." The dark mage counted on her fingers. She shook her head. "So is that where you went off to? What the hell is even happening? I guess he's with you Ylisseans now?"

Chrom looked more confused. "What are you talking about?" The dark mage turned back to him. "Doesn't matter. For now, consider me an ally. My name is Tharja. I am gifted with magic." As she said this, she pulled out a dark purple tome and, without looking, blasted a Plegian Wyvern Rider out of the sky that was approaching them from her behind, The Rider, not expecting to be shot at by an 'ally', wasn't able to react in time and plummeted to the ground. "Consider that a demonstration of my sincerity."

"O...k..." Chrom muttered, extremely confused. With that, the two ran back towards the fort, where the other four were waiting.

"Why… why is SHE here?" Gaius pointed at their new ally accusingly. "She nearly killed me!"

Tharja scoffed. "You were way too cocky, thief. Just because the typical Plegian soldier isn't capable of harming you, doesn't mean I can't."

"She's an ally now, she'll help us against the Plegians." Chrom told the rest of them.

"And why should we believe her?" Cordelia asked with suspicion. "What if it's a plan to backstab us?"

Tharja shook her head. "You won't have to worry about that. You guys have something I want… or rather, you have someONE that I want." she said. "I'll go find him later, but for now, I'll help you with your cause."

And that was that. Tharja joined in with the five, and they continued to hold out in the forts, killing any Plegian that tried to step up to them. Chrom had to admit, having a dark mage on their side for a change was pretty nice. She doubted even Miriel could take Tharja in a fight.

Pretty soon, Robin approached the forts with Nowi, Lon'qu, Lissa, Vaike, Miriel, Donnel and Maribelle. Tharja's scowl immediately softened when she saw him. When Robin stepped in to the fort, she immediately threw herself onto him.

"There you are!" she exclaimed to the extremely surprised Robin. "Why are you with the Ylisseans, and why did you not tell me?"

"Hey! That's MY partner!" Nowi huffed with her hands on her hips. "No touching!"

Tharja ignored the manakete, but Robin pried her off of him. "Chrom… um… who is this?" he asked.

Tharja's eyes went wide for a moment, before she began to laugh. "Oh Robin, I never thought you were the type to make that kind of joke!" she asked.

Robin looked at her with a serious look in his eyes. "I'm really sorry, but I really don't know who you are."

"We found him unconscious in a field." Chrom explained. "He's lost most of his memories. Although if you know him, then perhaps you could help him recover some of it."

Tharja's happy expression immediately formed back into a scowl at the realization that it was not a joke. "I...see… so that's how it is."

"I'm really sorry." Robin said. "But I would love to know more about my past life. Would you be able to tell me some of it." he gave her a heartfelt smile, which caused Tharja to immediately begin to blush. "I...I'll consider it." she finally stammered. "But for right now, don't you have a battle to win?"

Robin also snapped back to reality. "Oh that's right! I need to log the newcomers into the Hekseer." He motioned for Libra to come to him, and both he and Tharja touched the Hekseer's orb.

{Can you hear me?} Robin asked through it. "Oh my!" Libra exclaimed, clearly surprised. In contrast, Tharja simply replied with a "Yep." She had, after all, already known about the Hekseer's existence.

{Things are done over here.} Robin heard Frederick report. {We'll head over to you guys now.} Robin nodded. {Thanks Frederick. Go south until you see the twin forts to your left. We'll move east from there.}

He turned to the rest of the shepherds. "C'mon, we've got some more fighting to do!" The shepherds all began to file out of the forts and towards the east. Chrom stopped Tharja for a private question before they left, however.

"So even though he doesn't have any memories of you, you'll still fight with us?" Chrom asked the newcomer, wanting to be sure of her loyalties.

"Yep." Tharja replied. "I'm still trying to get over the fact that he doesn't remember me. Believe me, it isn't easy." She said through a scowl. "Even though he may not have any memories of me, I still owe him everything, and so whatever cause he's fighting for, I'll fight for as well."

Chrom nodded. "I see. Then welcome to the shepherds." "It's my pleasure." Tharja said, rolling her eyes.

The shepherds ploughed through the remaining Plegian guards. They had little to no chance against the shepherds, especially since one of their strongest had turned against them.

Lon'qu and Donnel slashed indiscriminately through the Plegians, and Sumia and Cordelia darted in to finish priority targets when they least expected it. Tharja threw out spells with seemingly no regard for her former allies. The few small injuries that the shepherds received were quickly mended by the combination of Maribelle and Lissa.

When their heavy units arrived to their rear, the shepherds rejoiced, and the Plegians' morale collapsed.

Pretty soon, all of the Plegians either were killed or ran away. The only one left in the courtyard was their commander, General Campari.

"I'll never let you Ylissean scum get past me!" the General declared as he stood his ground in front of the castle. Lon'qu, Donnel, Vaike, and Gregor all rushed him. However, no one was capable of making a dent in the General's heavy armor. Campari lunged with his spear, grazing Lon'qu's side.

"Lon'qu!" Lissa exclaimed with a worried expression. She immediately ran towards the retreating myrmidon.

"Is that all you've got?" Campari taunted. "You all don't seem too capable."

He was not expecting the dark magic spell that hit him directly. The Nosferatu seeped through his armor, stealing his life energy, before returning to a certain dark mage.

"What the?" Campari exclaimed in disbelief as he coughed up some blood. "Dark magic? The Ylisseans have a user of dark magic?"

"Indeed." Tharja replied.

Campari gave her a murderous look. "Tharja! You traitorous swine! His majesty treats you that well, and this is how you repay him?"

Tharja scoffed. "I'm not a traitor to anyone." She told him. "To you, it might look like that, because you serve the king. Like you, I'm simply taking the same side as the one I serve." At this, Tharja gestured to Robin, which was someone Campari had missed.

"You! So you're… the… one..." Campari groaned, before falling over, dead.

"What was that all about?" Lissa wondered to herself.

Finally, the courtyard was clear of all Plegians, but more importantly, Archers and Wyvern Riders.

"The skies are clear!" Chrom exclaimed. "Miriel, give the signal!"

At this, the bespectacled mage launched a fireball into the air, signally for Phila and the other Pegasus Knights to fly in.

"Your Grace!" Phila exclaimed upon seeing Emmeryn.

"Phila!" the Exalt exclaimed. "I'm so glad to see you're safe! But how…"

"Khan Basilio's men freed me! Hurry, we don't have much time…" With that, Phila flew her Pegasus towards the cliff where Emmeryn was standing.

"What?" Gangrel exclaimed in rage. "Pegasus Knights? Those damn Ylisseans do NOT play fair!"

Aversa simply chuckled. "Well, neither do I." As she said that, she began to channel some dark energy around her. In the courtyard, dozens of Risen archers clawed their way out of the ground.

"Risen?" Robin asked in disbelief. "Chrom! Oh gods!"

Chrom gritted his teeth. "Damn! Not now! Shepherds, kill them all!" The shepherds immediately acted, going for as many of the archers as possible.

Gangrel began to laugh. "How is it possible for an army of corpses to just APPEAR out of the ground?" he wondered aloud. "Truly, the heavens smile upon King Gangrel today!"

The shepherds were fast, but they were unable to kill all the Risen in time. Some of them took aim at Phila and her Pegasus Knights, and proceeded to shoot them out of the air.

"Risen… Your Grace… Forgive me…" Phila said with tears in her eyes as she fell to her death.

Many of Phila's Pegasus Knights met the same fate. They desperately tried to fly in to save the Exalt, but the Risen seemed to prioritize the ones close to Emmeryn. One after another, they fell out of the sky and to their doom.

"No, no no!" Robin exclaimed in frustration, freezing at the prospect of his failure. "We've lost…" Chrom muttered in defeat.

"I believe this is what they call a reversal of fortunes!" Gangrel cackled. "Now… grovel before me! Plead! Beg for your worthless lives!"

Chrom gritted his teeth. "I'd give up my life before I beg for it from you."

Gangrel chuckled. "Oh THAT'S a good line! Perhaps it'll be very fitting for me to place that on your tombstone, prince. But it's not just your life you'll be begging for, your precious Exalt's still hangs in the balance! All it would take is one word from me..."

"Emm, hold on! I'm coming!" Chrom ignored the king.

"Archers!" Gangrel yelled in anger. "If the Ylissean pup tries to approach his Exalt, let your arrows fly!"

"Gangrel!" Chrom stopped. "I-I'll kill you!"

Gangrel laughed once again. "Go ahead! I welcome the try. Just know that you were responsible for your big sister's bloody demise!"

"Damn you!" Chrom protested.

"Now now, no one needs to die today. Not you, not the Exalt." Gangrel told him, seeming to change his personality. "Just lay down your weapons and give me the Fire Emblem!"

"Milord!" Frederick protested. "You can't trust him!"

"Of COURSE I can't trust him!" Chrom yelled back. "But if I don't, he'll kill her!"

"Wait!" Emmeryn suddenly cried. Gangrel turned to her in anger. "SILENCE!"

Emmeryn ignored him. "King Gangrel, you will not listen to reason?" she asked.

Gangrel merely laughed. "You mean listen to more of your sanctimonious babble?! I think not. No, all I want is to hear a THUNK of arrows, and a SPLAT as you hit the ground. Take one, long, last look from your perch. You do so enjoy looking down on people... Then prepare to meet the ground, and your maker! That is, unless if someone were to give me the Emblem... NOW!"

"ALL RIGHT!" Chrom exclaimed. "Emm, I know you won't approve, but this is my final decision. MAYBE someday we'll face a crisis where MAYBE the Emblem would've helped. But I know for a fact that Ylisse needs you, today! The people need their exalt... And we need our sister. If those dark days should come, we'll face them together."

A single tear fell from Emmeryn's face. "Th-thank you Chrom. I know now what I must do."

"What are you-" Chrom began, but Emmeryn interrupted him. "Plegians! I ask that you hear the truth of my words! War will win you nothing but sadness and pain, both inside your borders and out. Free yourselves from this hatred! From this cycle of pain and vengeance. Do what you must... As I will do. See now that one selfless act has the power to change the world!"

She walked up to the edge of the cliff. "No reaction then?" she mused to herself. "So was I wrong?" She took one last look at Chrom in the distance. She closed her eyes and smiled. "Chrom… this is some torch I'm passing you…" She opened her eyes again, with a determined look on her face. "So be it. Chrom… Lissa… All of my people… know that I loved you."

With that, she turned around, and purposely fell backwards from the cliff.

Time seemed to stand still as the Ylisseans looked on in horror. Lissa shielded her eyes, while Chrom desperately tried to reach her. But it was too late. Emmeryn hit the ground, lifeless.

"Oh gods!" Robin muttered in horror.

"DAMN YOU, GANGREL!" Chrom exclaimed.

"NOOOOO!" Lissa sobbed.

Gangrel only laughed. "Well now! ...How disgustingly noble. And so lovely a fall! Here I thought death to be an ugly thing. I've never seen one fall so gracefully, in fact. ...And I've seen many fall! Ah... So ends Emmeryn, Ylisse's most exalted! But how can we ensure everyone remembers this beautiful moment of her sacrifice? Perhaps we should gather up her body and put it on display!"

Chrom gritted his teeth. "Gangrel, you die today!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, Basilio and Flavia ran up to them.

"No, boy!" Basilio grunted. "We've secured an escape route! We must flee!"

"But… but her body…" Chrom protested.

"You have to RUN!" Basilio reiterated. "Now do it! Don't do anything stupid!" "You can't avenge her if you're dead!" Flavia added.

Chrom gritted his teeth, but sighed. He turned and gave one last murderous look at Gangrel. "Shepherds! We retreat!" he finally ordered.

The shepherds did just that.

From a distance, Marth ran to the top of a cliff and watched the seen unfold before her. "No!" she exclaimed. "No… I was too late… Our bleak future is written once more… and darkness awaits us all..."

She looked down to see the painful expressions of everyone she cared about: Robin with a dazed look on his face. Lissa, crying into Robin's shoulder. Chrom, anger plastered across his face. The rest of the shepherds, sullen with the understanding that they had failed. She hated seeing them all so down. They were supposed to be heroes, for Naga's sake!

A single tear fell from her eye.

**Some time in the distant future…**

Lucina hated her tutor. She hated Mr. Plumsworth. He was always angry at her when she didn't understand how to do the math problems he gave her. He called her useless, worthless, a waste of space, and a dozen other mean names.

"Why can't you understand simple addition?" Mr. Plumsworth angrily asked her. "What's the sum of three and five?" She was unable to respond. "Look, what was two plus two?" Mr. Plumsworth asked again. "Four!" Lucina recited from memory, as that example had been used by her tutor earlier in the lesson. "If you understand that, why can't you tell me what three plus five is?"

At this point, it was the end of her lesson today, and mommy had come by to pick her up.

"The lass wasn't productive today again." The man reported to her as Lucina pouted at her desk. She knew mommy will be extremely cross with her once Mr. Plumsworth leaves. "We'll have to go over the same material next time."

"I'm sorry for your trouble." Her mommy told the man as she handed him a pouch of gold. "I'll make sure to have a good talk with her later tonight."

"I'll try my best to help her out, but I can't guarantee it. Some children just cannot be taught." She heard her tutor say. "Good day, Your Grace. Good day, milord Robin." At this, she turned around and her expression softened. Mister Robin had come today as well!

With that, her tutor took his leave. Robin came over to her and began to look at the textbook she had been learning from.

Her mommy sighed. "That girl… What Plumsworth said is right…" she began.

"You mean, what he said is _rubbish_." Robin angrily corrected. "Look at the notes in the margins! There's no way a six year old can learn this way!" he declared. "This type of teaching would only work for children at least twice her age!"

"But…" her mommy began.

"Here, let me demonstrate." Robin began. He picked up some of the quill pens they had been writing with. He set three of them in front of Lucina, and five in front of himself.

"Now Lucy," Robin began. "How many pens are in front of you?"

Lucina counted them. "One… two… three!" she exclaimed.

"And how many are in front of me?" Robin asked again.

"Hmm…" Lucina focused. "One… two… three… three… no, four… five!" she said.

"And if I give my pens to you, how many would you have?" Robin once again asked.

She counted on her fingers. "One… two… three… four… five… six… um… seven… eight!" she declared.

Robin smiled at her. "So if I try to add three to five, what would be the answer?"

"Eight?" Lucina replied nervously.

"Bingo!" Robin said with a smile. He patted her affectionately on the head. He then turned to the girl's mother. "See, Sumia? It's all about the method." He got up from the desk and walked towards Lucina's mother. "Have someone inform Plumsworth that his services will no longer be needed. He's basically scamming you. From this day forward, I'll be the one to teach Lucy. I'll do it for free."

Her mommy numbly nodded in agreement.

Lucina grinned from ear to ear. The time she normally dreaded had become something she will look forward to in the future. This day turned out to be so much better than she had originally thought.

**Libra: HP: 90% Str: 40% Mag: 50% Skl: 55% Spd: 50% Lck: 45% Def: 35% Res: 40%**

**Age: 22**

**Class: War Monk**


	15. Pages from Robin's Journal (2)

**Author's Notes:**

**This is the second chapter of Robin's Journal. It felt considerably easier to write than the last one, possibly because more things have happened since then. That's all for today, enjoy chapter 15:**

**March 19th**

We've just returned back to Ylisstol. While most of the shepherds were dismissed for some rest and relaxation, Frederick and I followed Chrom to the castle to give the report to the exalt. To be honest, I don't really understand why I'm needed there, but Frederick tells me that because I'm the tactician for the shepherds, my rank is technically higher than a regular member, so I need to get used to having a bit more responsibility than the others. This makes sense, but it feels weird to outrank others that have been here longer than I am.

Anyways, Chrom went to give the report to Emmeryn, but Frederick suggested we wait outside. We made some small talk. He asked me about eating wild game, and how it's possible for me to consume it so effortlessly. He mentioned that he hates how picky he is with eating. I've agreed to help him try and get over the fear of wild game.

While this was going on, we suddenly had to stop our conversation because some of the castle maids approached us. Or rather, they approached Frederick. They didn't even know who I was, which I suppose is fair. They informed Frederick of a rumor that had been circulating. Apparently a group of criminals had been hired to kill Lissa. I'm not sure whether it is true or not, but if it is, we need to assign someone to protect Lissa. We've talked to Chrom about this issue. He eventually decided to assign the task of bodyguard to Lon'qu. I was a little skeptical of it, and even reminded Chrom of our previous talk, but he assured me that it was fine. I guess I have no choice but to believe him.

After the maids left, Captain Phila of the Pegasus Knights division came running past us, and into the throne room. We'd later find out that she was in a hurry to report that Maribelle had been captured by Gangrel's forces. We're going to parley with them tomorrow, but I get a good feeling that there will be a fight, so I prepared ahead of time. This Gangrel guy seems extremely irritating, and I don't understand how anyone can be content with being his subjects.

The rest of the shepherds did not take the news well. I don't really blame them. I'm bone tired from all the marching we just did. However, one of our own has been essentially kidnapped, so what choice do we have?

Anyways, it's going to be a long day tomorrow, so I'd better get to sleep. That's it for now.

**March 20th**

What a day it has been.

First, we got up early to prepare for the parley with King Gangrel of Plegia. Well, most of us. Chrom was so tired that when he got up, he managed to trip on a pebble. (Now I understand why Frederick always is clearing the path in front of him of any debris when we march.) Sumia somehow blackmailed him into sleeping for a little extra that morning. It was a little bit annoying for the shepherds that had to fill the gaps and do Chrom's preparation for him, but overall I think we agree that it's important for our leader to be alert and well rested.

When we finally began to march to Border Pass, I lead the rest of the shepherds into hiding in the woods. This was a very nervous experience for me, because it was the first time where I was giving orders to the shepherds without Chrom right besides me. I was a little bit worried that they won't follow my instructions. Fortunately, my fears proved to be misplaced. Many of the shepherds couldn't stand the way Gangrel was talking to the Exalt and Chrom, but I managed to convince everyone to lay low until we spring our trap.

When Gangrel finally showed his true colors, like I predicted he would, the fight became extremely one sided because they simply didn't think we would have made preparations for battle. The Plegians that tried to charge Chrom were almost massacred by our ambush.

There was, however, one unexpected event in my plan. That would be the shepherd Ricken. Honestly, Chrom didn't even tell me that he would be here today, so I didn't make any plans involving him. Somehow, he learned of my plan (and I know this because there's no way he would've done what he did without knowing) and used that knowledge to sneak past the preoccupied Plegians and save Maribelle. They say that unexpected turn of events are a tactician's worst nightmare, but in this case, it turned out to be a good thing. Ricken might actually make a fine tactician one day.

The rest of the fight went pretty well. The only thing that could've maybe gone better is if Lon'qu hadn't got hit by a dark magic spell. I suppose it couldn't be helped though, since he dove in front of it for Lissa. Lissa was extremely upset that she couldn't heal him properly because it was a dark magic wound. Fortunately, I was able to heal him instead using quintessence. Unfortunately, I'm still learning the limits of my strengths. I know, at least I think I do, how they work, but I'm not certain of just what I'm capable of, and what I'm not yet.

We managed to save the Exalt, and began to march home to Ylisstol. However, the damage had been done, and war had been declared. To be honest, it didn't really occur to me on the way back, because I was utterly exhausted by using too much energy. I know it will recover naturally, although at a pretty slow rate. But it couldn't be helped. It's not like I could go killing Ylissean civilians to take their quintessence.

As soon as I got back, Lissa and Lon'qu helped me get to my bed, and I immediately fell asleep. I didn't wake up until the sun already set. But that was only the first half of the day.

I ate dinner with the rest of the shepherds as usual. Ricken and Maribelle were enjoying some tea together. I'd wager Maribelle was thanking him for his part in her rescue.

Kellam and Stahl were sharing a conversation. Something about how they felt in battle.

Vaike and Miriel were also having a discussion, or rather, Miriel was having a discussion with herself and Vaike was listening. They discussed something about instincts and science. That woman is even more of a bookworm than I am, to be honest.

When I finished eating, I stepped outside into the courtyard for some fresh air. I didn't expect to see Chrom there.

We talked a bit about Ylisse's history, or rather, the history a couple decades ago. I read about it in the books, but it's completely different to hear it from a person that actually experienced it.

We were just in the middle of the juicy parts of the conversation when Marth appeared. She, now we know Marth is female, told us she was here to warn us of an assassination attempt on Emmeryn. She proved it by killing an assassin that was sent for Chrom.

However, it seems she didn't expect a second assassin. Chrom and I took care of it, but not before he slashed Marth's mask in half. When I first saw her actual face, I froze for a moment. It's embarrassing to admit, but she's actually extremely pretty. Her facial features look extremely beautiful and refined, and her long, blue hair also looks extremely alluring. Normally when I see a good looking girl, I admit that I think she looks good to myself and simply move on. However, when I saw her, I felt an internal drive to get closer to her. I might be losing it just a little.

Anyways, Marth told us that Emmeryn is in danger, so once again, I had the job of informing the shepherds that we'll be in another fight. They didn't receive the news too well, but fortunately, they understood the severity of the situation.

We managed to make our way to the castle and Emmeryn's quarters fairly quickly due to the shortcuts that the shepherds knew. We got into position just as the assassins began to infiltrate the castle.

Unlike our normal battles, we were split into two groups, and we even divided ourselves further into 3 groups. If I didn't have the Hekseer, I don't know how I would've been able to direct that battle.

Things went mostly according to plan, except for two things. The first was that one of the thieves from the assassin's group decided to turn tail. Apparently, all he wanted to do is make a living, and not murder. Someone didn't get the memo for the mission I guess. Anyways, Chrom was able to convince him to join us somehow for only a bag of sweets. He's actually really capable with a knife, and after the battle, Stahl and I invited him to join the shepherds, which he accepted.

The second thing was that a taguel named Panne showed up to help us fight. At first, I didn't realize she could change forms, so I panicked a little bit when I saw a giant rabbit run in. I thought it was one of Plegia's trained beasts at first, but it seemed to only go for the lives of the Plegians, so I felt a little bit better during the battle. After the fight, Emmeryn's words were able to convince her to stay with us. We gave her a place to stay at the shepherds garrison, and she seems like she's OK with the arrangements for now.

Eventually, we made our way to their leader, a sorcerer. I wasn't there when the rest of the shepherds fought him, because I was checking up on the other two groups. However, when I stepped outside, I caught the very end of his life. The sorcerer seemed to recognize me, but wasn't able to say much before he died. I became extremely frustrated and seemed to lose my mind for a moment. The rest of the shepherds tell me that I entered into some sort of berserk state, and that my eyes were glowing. I faintly remember killing many soldiers, and feeling better once I did.

After the battle, Chrom and I tracked down Marth. She was trying to sneakily get away again. Chrom offered her any favor she wanted, but she turned it down. In a moment of weakness, I almost offered for her to stay with us and become a shepherd. Fortunately, I stopped myself at the last moment due to rational thought. She probably had somewhere she needed to be, and frankly I didn't think it was my place to offer her a place, since Chrom was standing right next to me as well. It was just selfish of me to want her to stay close by, I guess.

Anyways, it's been a long day, and I've been writing for a long time now, I'm going to go to sleep now. Until tomorrow.

**March 21st**

Today was a pretty chill day. Everyone had their own way of using it. But in general, the shepherds used it as a day to relax, for the most part. Some hard working individuals used it to train. I, personally, went outside. The weather was perfect. It was sunny, but still a bit chilly. Perfect weather for wearing my cloak. I don't understand why, but I am always reluctant to take it off. It almost feels as if it's a part of me. Anyways, I found a nice tree to read under, and to enjoy the crisp, fresh, spring air.

I saw Maribelle reprimanding Donnel about something as I walked by them today. I also saw Lissa trying desperately to get closer to Lon'qu. I think it's really funny how Lon'qu doesn't mind being in close proximity with women in combat, but off the battlefield, he's like an entirely different person. Lissa couldn't even get within ten feet of him before he went on edge.

I also waved to Sully and Stahl as they trained outside. They seem to be getting along more and more, which is great, since two cavaliers paired up make an extremely strong team. I'll have to use them together more often in the future.

**{Insert: March 21st}**

Maribelle was walking through the hallways of the shepherd's garrison with her mind full of thoughts. Suddenly, she tripped over something.

"What... what careless lout elected to leave their belongings here?!" she exclaimed.

Nearby, Donnel turned around from his conversation with Miriel and Vaike and blanched. He rushed over.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry! That's my pack!" he exclaimed in a hurry and proceeded to pick the bag up.

Maribelle shook her head in disapproval. "Well, I would ask that you be more careful in the future! In cases of emergency, this corridor is the escape route for the entire camp."

Donnel scratched his head. "I'm awful sorry, Maribelle, we ain't have anythin' like that back on th' farm!"

Maribelle nodded. "Very well then, I shall take it upon myself to instruct you. Wait here."

Donnel stood in the hallway awkwardly as Maribelle ran back to her own quarters and eventually returned with a book.

"We shall begin with the laws of Ylisse and the code of organizational regulations." Maribelle began, handing the farm boy the book. "You may borrow this book for now. I expect you to learn its contents front to back!"

"Th-that's an awful thick tome, ain't it?" Donnel stammered.

Maribelle nodded in agreement. "Justice is a weighty matter." she responded.

Donnel gulped. "And you want me to memorize this whole thing, ma'am?" he asked.

Maribelle nodded again. "Diligence is the noblest of the virtues, Donnel! Education elevates us. It separates us from the beasts of the field. Oh, and that volume was a gift from my father. I ask that you handle it with utmost care."

Donnel quickly nodded. "Oh, yes ma'am, I'll get right to it! I'll be real careful too!"

With that, the farm boy went off to apologize to Vaike and Miriel that he had something urgent to work on. The boy proceeded to return to his room and began to study the book.

**{Insert: March 21st}**

Sully and Stahl were in the middle of sparring on horseback outside. Sully charged the viridian cavalier with her practice spear and stabbed it towards her sparring partner's chest.

"Enough! I yield!" Stahl exclaimed.

"Oh come one!" Sully complained. "That was too easy! You're definitely better than this, you're letting me win on purpose now."

Stahl chuckled. "No one LETS you win anything, Sully. You take victories by force."

Sully scoffed. "So that's your excuse?" she asked him.

Stahl closed his eyes and shrugged. "Hey, you know what I'm like."

Sully looked at him with a disapproving look. "You lack confidence because you don't know yourself well enough." she stuck her hand out. "Here, shake my hand. ...Go on! Shake the damn thing!"

"Er… all right…" Stahl mumbled. He shook her hand.

"Well?" Sully asked him. "What do you feel? How are our hands different?"

Stahl thought for a moment. "Well, yours is actually smaller than I thought." he took another moment to think. "And really soft too! It's kind of nice, really."

Sully shook her head. "You're getting distracted. Focus on the first thing you said. You're bigger than me, and you've got more muscle. Also, you're a better rider. So explain how I keep kicking your ass all over the battlefield."

"I don't know!" Stahl exclaimed defensively. "You just… project this aura around you. Like you're gonna eat me for breakfast, y'know?"

Sully scoffed at him. "All in your head! Change your attitude, and you'll become a better fighter overnight!"

"You really think so?" Stahl asked, as if actually pondering what she said. "Now you're pushing me around in a different way."

"Except that I'm right." Sully stated. "And if you're smart, you'll listen to me. So what do you say? Another round?"

Stahl laughed. "You're on! And this time, I'm standing my ground."

The two readied their weapons, and prepared for another round of sparring.

**March 22nd**

Today I had my first dinner duty. I don't really remember much, but I have a gut feeling that I've done quite a bit of cooking in the past. When Sumia and I went to the farmer's market today, it was as if I knew exactly what to buy, and in what quantities. Unfortunately, I had a small budget to work with. It was barely enough to get all the main ingredients I needed. I didn't have any left for the herbs and spices that would make the food taste good. That would explain why the food at the dining hall is tasteless. The others probably also have the same issue. I suppose it's not a major problem, because it fills you up. However, I refuse to cook food unless I make it taste good. I ended up buying the herbs and spices with my own money, and I hid it from Sumia because I wasn't sure if that's allowed or not. Regardless, it really made the difference, and it really showed. I received a multitude of compliments from the other shepherds. Stahl and Gaius were so content with the food that they helped me clean the dishes afterwards.

With all that went on today, I almost forgot that we're going to march towards the Eastern Fortress tomorrow. That's it for now, I'm going to go to bed.

**March 23rd**

This morning, I was introduced to the Hierarch of Ylisse. No one would believe me, since I'm claiming this after the fact, but as soon as I saw him, I thought something was up. He seemed way too nervous. I know we're in a war, but he's within his own borders amongst his own troops.

My hunch proved to be right. When we reached Breakneck pass, we were 'ambushed' by some Plegians. I use quotations because they failed to really take us by surprise. Their commander even had a short parley with the Hierarch, where it was revealed that he was actually a traitor.

The Plegians ended up killing the Hierarch, and I know that he was a friend of Emmeryn's for a long time, but I can't say that I'm sad to see him go. In the time that I knew him, he didn't seem like much of a man.

Regardless, we fought back the Plegians. A Pegasus Knight named Cordelia flew to us from behind, and according to Phila, it meant that the Plegians probably launched an attack across our border.

Phila and her Pegasus Knights escorted Emmeryn back to the capital. I can understand why Emmeryn would do that, especially after learning the history of Ylisse and Plegia's quarrel straight from Chrom. However, I cannot deny that it is extremely dangerous for her. Our best bet is to get to Ferox as quickly as possible to petition for reinforcements and return to Ylisstol as soon as possible.

Right now, we are resting in a small village. I'm going to stop writing now, because I want to get some reading done before bed.

**March 24th**

Today, we ran into some bandits causing trouble right before we crossed over to Plegia. I didn't think it was a good idea to stop, because it would put Emmeryn at a larger risk. However, Chrom also had a point. The reason we're fighting this war is for the civilians, and if we can't protect them in their time of need, what right would we have to rule them?

We resolved to take care of the problem as soon as possible. The merchants we helped seemed extremely grateful for us, as did the civilians we saved.

We made our way to Ferox, but Basilio gave us the grave news that Emmeryn had been captured and was being brought back across the Plegian border. Apparently she's to be executed in three days. We really need to get to Plegia in time to stop it from happening.

**March 26th**

As we made our way towards Plegia today, we ran into some Grimleal chasing after a little girl named Nowi. Or, at least we thought it was a little girl. Turns out, she's actually a manakete and can turn into a dragon. Seeing as the Plegians were our enemies anyways, we resolved to help her out. The man following her, which we initially thought was an enemy as well, turned out to be a friendly mercenary. He's extremely skilled, at least that's my conclusion from watching him fight. Chrom gave the man a job after we finished, and Nowi begged to come with us as well, so the shepherds gained two more members.

I'm beginning to think that I could've been a Grimleal myself, since my weapons and attire seem to emphasis the fell dragon. However, Frederick tells me it's possible that I was not a follower, since Grima is also the patron god of Plegia. I didn't mention the mark on my right hand, because I feel that it could make the case against me pretty strong. I really like the shepherds, and don't want them to be mad at me because I might've been a Grimleal in the past.

Tomorrow is the big day, we'll see if we are successful with the rescue of Emmeryn. For now, I need a good night's rest.

**March 27th**

What a shitty day.

First, I wake up from a nightmare. I saw a woman with flowing white hair running away from a sorcerer. I couldn't put a finger on it, but I could swear I've seen the sorcerer before. Maybe in my past life or something, I don't know. The woman was eventually killed, and the sorcerer took the baby from her.

As if that wasn't bad enough, our rescue of Emmeryn went horribly. Everything went as it was supposed to in the beginning, but just as we defeated all the Plegians and was getting our Pegasus Knights over to Emmeryn, a mass of Risen crawled out of the ground. To make things worse, they were all archers. We couldn't take them all out in time, and they shot down Phila and the other Knights.

Gangrel played with us, trying to force Chrom to hand over the Fire Emblem. In order to make the choice easy for Chrom, Emmeryn gave a heart warming speech before she essentially committed suicide. Chrom wanted to retrieve her body so badly, but Basilio convinced him that we can come back later to secure our revenge.

The only, possibly, positive thing to come from today is we recruited two new members. Tharja and Libra. Tharja seems to know something about my past, so when we have the time, and this mess has been all sorted out, I'll see if I can ask her what she knows about my past.

For now, we're making many small camps, spread out over a larger area to try and essentially hide from the Plegians. Tomorrow we'll continue and try to make our way back to Ylisse.


	16. Renewal

**Author's Notes:**

**I must admit, I am getting a bit itchy with the next few chapters. It feels good knowing that the exposition is almost done. After all, everything up to this point hasn't really been the real meat of the story, but is nonetheless important to begin with. I get the feeling the next chapter will be exciting and be pretty long as well. Until then, enjoy chapter 16:**

Robin was sitting in his makeshift tent, writing in his journal about the day as the sun began to set. The atmosphere in camp was melancholy, and many of the shepherds hadn't gotten over the fact that Emmeryn is dead. The shepherds and Feroxi soldiers decided the best course of action is to spread out over a wide area. It makes it easier for the Plegian land troops to find them, but significantly more difficult for their airborne troops to find.

From outside, there was the sound of someone running across the sand. "Robin?" he heard a voice call from outside his tent.

"Yes?" Robin replied. "Do you need something, Lon'qu? Come in."

The swordsman stepped inside. "It's… it's the princess." Lon'qu admitted. "What about her?" Robin inquired. "She's been crying in her tent for the past hour." Lon'qu replied. "I was thinking that maybe you could go comfort her. I fear that with my… problem I'll just make it worse if I try."

Robin cocked his head. "Not that I'm not willing to help, but why did you come find me for that?" he asked.

"Well, I noticed she seemed to be pretty close to you." Lon'qu replied. "And the only better option is Chrom, but he's dealing with the same shit right now. I don't think he has the ability, or is in the mood to comfort her."

Robin nodded. "Fair enough. Let's head over to her tent then."

The two did just that.

When they reached their destination, Robin gently tapped on Lissa's tent flap. "Lissa? Can I come in?" he could hear the princess bawling her eyes out from inside. "R-robin? *sniff* sure… come in." she eventually replied. Robin walked in, with Lon'qu electing to wait outside.

The girl looked a mess. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Robin sat on the bedroll next to her, and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"W-why?" Lissa asked as she cried into Robin's shoulder. "Why did she have to die, Robin? What did she do wrong?"

Robin sighed. "She didn't do anything wrong, Lissa. She died because our plan failed… because MY plan failed. You can blame me if you'd like."

At this, Lissa momentarily stopped crying. "What?!" she exclaimed. "I could never do that! Not after you tried your hardest to save her! How could you have known that the Risen would appear?"

Robin tilted his head, as if in thought. "Yeah, that's a good point. I still don't understand how they could have just appeared though…"

Lissa leaned on Robin and rested her head on his shoulder. "Still… it doesn't feel right… Emmeryn didn't deserve to die! Did I do something wrong?" she sobbed. "Is that why Naga is punishing me by taking away my sister?"

Robin leaned his own head on Lissa's. "I don't believe so. The world is seriously fucked up. That's why there are bandits and thieves, and why murder and crime is prevalent. It's because people like Gangrel are allowed to live that causes others pain and suffering. That's why we must continue this war. We'll make sure Gangrel pays for his crimes."

Robin brushed a strand of hair away from Lissa's eyes with his other hand. "I know the rest of us cannot hope to ever replace what Emmeryn was to you, but for what it's worth, know that you still have a family in the rest of the shepherds. And remember, you still always have Chrom."

Lissa shifted around and hugged Robin, plunging her face into his chest. "Thanks Robin. I feel a bit better already." She paused for a moment before continuing to talk. "You sure know a lot for someone that doesn't remember most of their past."

Robin chuckled. "Well, sometimes I just say things without thinking. It could be my brain unconsciously divulging information that I knew in the past… I don't really know."

Lissa removed herself from the hug. She wiped away a few stray tears. "Thanks Robin. I really mean it."

Robin smiled. "Don't just thank me, you should also thank Lon'qu." "Lon'qu?" Lissa wondered. Robin grinned. "Yeah, he was worried sick about you. That's why he came to find me." "Wow… I didn't think Lon'qu cared that much about me…" Lissa muttered to herself.

Robin got up. "Well, I'll be in my tent if you need me. Try to get some rest, because tomorrow might be another long day." Lissa numbly nodded, but wasn't crying anymore.

Robin exited the tent, to see Lon'qu sprawled out on the ground in front of Lissa's tent with a blanket wrapped around himself. His eyes were closed. Robin nudged his shoulders, and the swordsman blinked a few times.

"It was successful." Robin grinned, giving Lon'qu a thumbs up. Lon'qu smiled. "That's good to hear."

"So are you going back to your own tent then?" Robin asked. "I didn't set up a tent." Lon'qu replied. Seeing as Robin was about to say something, he quickly held up his hand. "If I were to set one up, it'd be too close to Lissa's which can pose a threat for all of us. And if I set it up far away, I won't be able to keep an eye on her. That is my job. I'll just sleep under the stars, like the other Feroxi."

"O...K…" Robin slowly said. "But won't you be cold? The desert becomes really cold at night."

Lon'qu gestured to his blanket. "That's why I have this. Trust me, I used to live in Regna Ferox. I'm used to sleeping while feeling a bit cold. This is the best option for all of us."

Robin nodded. "Alright. Well I'm heading back to my tent then. Good night."

With that, Robin left. He didn't realize how tired he was until he lied down on his bedroll. Robin immediately fell asleep.

**The following morning…**

The shepherds and Feroxi awoke in a hurry. They quickly ate some field rations and began to march to the west. Robin was a little bit skeptical at first, but Basilio insisted that there's a path to escape back to Regna Ferox that way. Seeing as he didn't have a better plan, Robin decided to go along with it.

While they marched, Robin made his way to Tharja.

"So…" he began. "You know about my past?" he asked.

Tharja scowled. "Yes, I suppose you could say that." she muttered.

"Would you be able to tell me a little bit about it?" he asked curiously.

Tharja didn't talk for a while. "Tell me," she finally said. "Do you like where you are right now? Do you enjoy being with these Ylisseans?"

Robin furrowed his brows. "I mean, I don't know anything about my past, but based on my current experiences, I'd say I enjoy it immensely. The shepherds are like my family by now."

Tharja was taken aback for a moment. 'Even as a Plegian prince, he'd never show any signs that he enjoyed the position. He also wouldn't have truly considered King Gangrel or his father to actually be family.' she mused to herself.

Finally she sighed. "Since you feel that way, then I'm afraid I cannot tell you about your past." she resolved to say.

"But-" Robin began. "It's for your own good." Tharja interrupted. "I will tell you this though. You were in a position of nobility, and I used to serve you. Trust me when I say this, you're better off not knowing about your past."

Robin eyed her curiously. "I… see." he finally said. He smiled at her. "Well, I don't know if I ever said this to you in the past, but thank you for serving me."

Tharja's scowl didn't change, but as soon as Robin turned around, a tear fell down her cheek. "You're welcome, Robin." she murmured to herself.

After marching for quite some time, they finally reached the Midmire.

"Hurry! There should be carriages waiting for us just past the ravine!" Basilio urged everyone. "Quickly! We're almost… huh?" he paused because some Plegian soldiers appeared ahead of them. Basilio gritted his teeth. "They're right in our way! We must fight!"

A Plegian general called to them from the other side of the Midmire. "Ylisseans, Feroxi! I offer you all mercy! Surrender to me now and live! I, General Mustafa of Plegia, swear that your lives will be secure upon surrender."

Basilio shook his head. "Surrender? I'm not familiar with that word." he yelled back.

"Emmeryn would not have wished for this to come to bloodshed." the general continued.

"Don't speak her name!" Chrom yelled angrily. "You don't deserve it."

Even from a distance, the shepherds could see Mustafa let out a sigh. "Your rage is justified, Prince Chrom. But the meaning of your sister's final sacrifice was not lost on me. I suspect many Plegians who heard her final words would say the same." he shrugged. "If you lay down your weapons, I vow to protect you as best I can."

"How can we trust you with what your barbarous king has done?" Frederick retorted. "I think we best take our chances with the weapons in hand!"

Mustafa let out another sigh. "I suspected you would say as much. So be it, Prince Chrom. I shall endeavor to grant you a swift and dignified end."

With that, he gave the signal, and the Plegians began to charge. The ones inside the Midmire, as well as the ones that appeared around it all charged as one, enveloping Chrom and the others in a trap.

"Chrom! You take your men and charge through the Midmire! Take out that general! We'll handle the ones coming at us from behind!" Basilio called. With that, the Feroxi army filed towards the back and began the engage the oncoming Plegians.

"Robin, what's the plan?" Chrom called out. Robin furiously studied his Hekseer. "The Midmire seems to contain the skeleton of some huge beast." Robin mused. "If we charge forward too quickly, we'll be spread out too thin. That's why we stand our ground. Even though we're the ones pressed for time, if the Plegians want to charge us, it's the best plan. They also don't have any mages, so armored units don't need to be afraid."

{Everyone, assume a defensive formation. Frederick, Panne, Sully and Stahl, charge to the west. There's a fort there. Hold the line there. Miriel, Libra and Virion, follow them.} Robin ordered. The people in question immediately set off.

{Donnel, Kellam, Gaius, Gregor, Ricken, Cordelia, Maribelle, hold the space between the first two large bones. Don't let anyone pass.} The second group set off as well.

Robin turned to the remaining shepherds. {The rest of us will hold the space between the second set of large bones. Our aim is also not let anyone pass.} With that, Chrom, Robin, Vaike, Sumia, Lon'qu, Nowi, Lissa and Tharja went off as well.

Chrom cut down a thief immediately. Vaike chopped down a spear fighter. Lon'qu, engaged and slashed apart a brigand. Tharja blasted a Wyvern Rider out of the sky with a Nosferatu spell, while Sumia and Nowi did the same with their respective ranged attacks to a second Wyvern Rider.

Robin checked his Hekseer. Sully was stabbing a Plegian thief to death with her lance. Stahl was engaging another brigand with his sword. Frederick was fighting a brigand from the safety of the fort whilst being supported by Panne. Miriel and Virion worked together to take down a Wyvern Rider trying to fly over them.

On the other side of the map, Donnel was handily beating a brigand. Kellam fought a spear fighting, winning the exchanges due to his heavier armor. Gaius slashed the throat of another brigand as Gregor was keeping him busy. Cordelia was engaging a Wyvern Rider, and baited the Plegian into letting their guard down enough for Ricken to blast them out of the sky with a wind spell.

On the other side of the Midmire, Mustafa looked on as his forces engaged the shepherds.

One of his soldiers came up to him. "Forgive me sir…" the soldier began. "But I… I no longer see the justice in hunting these people down. I accept any punishment you see fit… but after all that's happened… I just… I can't."

A nearby Wyvern Rider heard him and was enraged. "How dare you! If you question the general's orders, you know full well that the punishment for insubordination is death!"

"B-but!" the soldier protested. "These people are…"

Mustafa sighed. "These questions are not for us to ponder, lad. The soldier does not judge, the soldier only delivers judgement."

The soldier tightened his resolve. "Sir, I… I cannot raise my lance against them. Even if… even if it means death."

"You were there when Emmeryn spoke, weren't you?" Mustafa questioned. The general let out another sigh. "So be it! Those of you unwilling to fight are dismissed!"

"But…" The soldier protested. "We can't just abandon you, sir!"

Mustafa shook his head. "I cannot defy the king, lad. I know him well. He'd murder my wife and child in order to set an example. I will accept the blame for your actions today. Now go!"

"W-wait, General!" The soldier exclaimed. "I see a cause worth fighting for, one I believe in: loyalty to my general!"

Mustafa let out a melancholy grin. "Aye. That's a good lad."

He turned back to observe the battlefield. Currently, the shepherds were holding off their advances from well fortified choke points. From the looks of it, many of their soldiers had already fallen, but the Ylissean forces seemed to be just as strong as before.

"Hmm… why does this scene feel so… familiar?" Mustafa wondered to himself.

**Over a decade ago…**

"...And that's checkmate!" Robin happily exclaimed. He grinned victoriously at his opponent. General Mustafa let out a sigh. "Aye, lad. You beat me." Never before had anyone outmaneuvered him so much in a game of chess. It was as if he could not tell what Robin was trying to do, but his opponent was able to read him like an open book. Any tactic or strategy he attempted to use was immediately shut down by the young boy, but the complex tactics Robin tried would succeed without a hitch.

Validar grinned. "Now that's my Robin!" he turned to King Gangrel, who was also watching the match. The king had a snarl on his face.

"General Mustafa, I really should demote you. You're supposed to be one of our best generals and strategists, and yet you can't even beat a CHILD at a game of chess!" the king angrily exclaimed. "I'm going to cut your pay. I'll revert it once you're able to start beating CHILDREN at a strategy game."

Mustafa gritted his teeth, but didn't explode in anger. "Your majesty," the general began as calmly as possible. "Prince Robin truly is a talented tactician. It's not that my skill is lacking, it's that he has too much of it. I guarantee that if you forced all the commanders in your army to play a game of chess against him, they would all lose."

Gangrel snorted. "Now, now, dear brother." Validar began. "Think of it this way, if dear Robin is able to beat your best strategists at such a young age, imagine what he's capable of doing to the Ylisseans once he comes of age!"

Gangrel waved his hand dismissively. "Robin may be talented, but I highly doubt it takes much to beat such a useless, incompetent general." With that, the king sauntered away, with Validar following close behind him.

Seeing as the two left, Robin looked up at general Mustafa. "S-sorry…" the boy began apologetically. "I just made the king mad at you…"

Mustafa rubbed the boy's head affectionately. "Don't worry about it. I know you had something on the line in that game too." he smiled. "How about let's head over to the training grounds? I'm excited to see how far you've come in terms of axefaire."

"Yeah!" the seven year old Robin proclaimed. "I can't wait to show you how strong I've become!" The boy jumped up, flexing his muscles.

"Alright lad, let's see what you've got." With that, Mustafa led young Robin over to the training grounds.

**Back to the present…**

Mustafa shook his head. That was in the past. It's impossible for him to be fighting for the Ylisseans after all.

"Call the reinforcements!" Mustafa exclaimed. "Draw them in close, and then strike!"

The Plegians attempted to execute that plan, but it was clear that they were being outmaneuvered. After all, they had to pass messages along, which was tedious and time consuming. Meanwhile, on the shepherds side, each group received orders immediately, and directly from Robin due to his Hekseer.

The tactician in question had beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. Although they were winning, he had never had to work as hard to maintain the edge over his opponent. But he knew it was worth the extra effort in order to ensure that all the shepherds survived to see another fight. After all, Plegian generals are much harder to deal with than regular brigands.

Eventually, some of the Plegians grew tired of waiting. Platoons of Wyvern Riders began to descend upon the shepherds.

Robin didn't panic. He gave orders quickly, calmly, and efficiently.

On the westernmost side, Frederick was able to stand toe to toe with a Wyvern Rider, and Stahl was well equipped to fight them when he swapped his steel sword to his wyrmslayer. Furthermore, Miriel and Virion continuously blasted Wyverns out of the sky whenever possible.

On the easternmost side, Gregor had picked up a wyrmslayer of his own from a fallen Plegian thief. He proceeded to use it to rip apart the underbellies of any flying reptiles that flew past him. Cordelia also was able to keep a few of them busy while Ricken blasted them out of the sky.

As for his own group, Sumia served as a distraction for the Wyvern Riders. The ones that didn't chase her were harassed by a barrage of well aimed javelins, after all. The Wyvern Riders that flew close to the ground were slashed apart by Chrom's Falchion. The ones flying in the sky were blasted down by a combination of Robin and Tharja's magic. Robin mentally noted how in sync the two of them were at their cast times. This clearly had to be all because of Tharja, because he wasn't putting any effort into it. Robin wondered what he might've done in the past that had merited Tharja to be so familiar with fighting alongside him.

The Plegian's numbers in the Midmire continued to diminish, until only a few scattered soldiers were left. {Alright, we make a charge for the general now!} Robin instructed to the three groups.

Robin's group ended up approaching Mustafa the soonest. Frederick's group had to fight through the most soldiers, and Cordelia's group was the furthest away.

Once he drew close, Mustafa froze.

"What… what are you doing with them?" Mustafa exclaimed. "You've turned coat?"

Robin turned and look at the shepherds around him. Feeling quite confident the general wasn't talking to any of them, he faced the general again. "What? Me?" he asked.

"I can explain." Tharja said, as she stepped forward. "Tharja!?" Mustafa exclaimed again. "You too?"

"Robin has lost his memories." Tharja said, ignoring the general. "But from what I see, he's actually happy with his new life. I intend to keep it that way for him."

"I… see." Mustafa nodded, understanding the implications from Tharja. "I really admire your loyalty, Tharja. I always have. I only wish I could feel that sort of loyalty towards the King whom I serve..." The general sighed. "Very well. My only request is that I be allowed to duel Robin one on one."

"But-" Tharja began. "Why are you worrying?" The general interrupted. "You know full well I stand no chance against him. Please, humor me and allow me to see just how powerful he is before I die!"

Tharja turned back to Robin. "Well, what do you think?" she asked him.

Robin approached the general. "Look, general Mustafa. I may not remember your face, who you are, or what you've done for me in the past, but I can see that at least you fight honorably. I don't know about how powerful I am, but I'll honor your request."

"Be careful, Robin." Chrom warned him. Tharja shook his head. "Knowing Mustafa, he won't be looking to kill Robin. Only enrage him."

"I'm sorry, enrage?" Frederick asked the dark mage. Tharja waved his hand dismissively. "If my hunch is correct, you'll get to see soon enough."

Robin approached the enemy berserker and drew his scythe. "All right. I'm ready when you are."

The berserker smiled melancholically one last time, before raising his axe and charging him.

Mustafa swung his axe down on Robin. Robin blocked it with his scythe, but knew immediately that it was the wrong option. The berserker was too much stronger than him. He quickly dodged to the side and retracted his scythe, allowing Mustafa's axe to hit the ground. He lashed out with his scythe at the Plegian general's chest, but Mustafa seemed to know it was what Robin would go for, and backed off in time.

They circled around each other for a few moments. By this time, the rest of the shepherds had arrived, and Chrom motioned for them to stay back and watch. They all stared at the two in anticipation.

Mustafa eventually broke the standoff and charged once again. This time, Robin opted to dodge to the side. However, Mustafa swept his foot around and knocked the tactician off his feet. Mustafa knelt over the fallen tactician and pulled out a knife. Chrom was about to rush forward to help Robin, but Mustafa held up his hand. "I'm not going to kill him."

He proceeded to take his knife and slash it across Robin's right cheek, leaving a trail of blood across his face. Robin gritted his teeth in pain.

"So it seems you aren't all that strong yet. Let's see how much better you are when enraged." With that, the general got off of Robin and backed off. Robin slowly got onto his feet. Mustafa watched as his eyes began to shift from normal to glowing reddish purple.

"Yes…" Mustafa murmured. "Show me what you're capable of."

Robin picked up his scythe and snarled. His weapon began to glow red. Chrom swore he could see an intense, malefic aura radiating off of him. Robin swung his scythe around, and began to attack Mustafa, his movements largely accelerated.

Mustafa, to his credit, fought off most of the attacks. But it was clear that their positions were reversed. Robin was entirely in control, and Mustafa had to do everything he could to prevent the scythe from cutting him. He knew that it only took one nick for it to begin sapping him of his strength. Robin didn't make it easy for him. His scythe whirled through the air in a seemingly random pattern, keeping the general on his feet. Once in a while, Robin weaved in a close ranged magic attack that Mustafa had to deflect with his axe. It didn't seem to bother Robin that he was casting without the help of a tome.

Finally, Mustafa made a mistake, and Robin's scythe cut across his right shoulder. As Mustafa roared in pain, Robin took the opportunity to stab the spearpoint on his scythe into his left calf. As he retracted his weapon, Mustafa fell to one knee.

Mustafa knew this was the end. He could feel his strength begin to leave him. Robin approached him with a menacing look on his face. "F-finish it…" Mustafa got out.

Robin swung the scythe in an underhand swing, lodging the scythe's blade in the general's stomach. Mustafa took the last of his strength to reach up and grab the back of Robin's neck and pulled Robin's head closer to his.

"Th-thank you… of all the people I could've had to be my last opponent… I'm glad… it… was… YOU." With that, the last of Mustafa's strength gave out, and the general fell over, dead.

"Robin!" Lissa exclaimed as she ran up to him. Robin turned around to face her, and the expression on Robin's face made Lissa freeze in fright. After a moment, Robin's expression softened, and his eyes, as well as his weapon, stopped glowing. "L-let me heal your cut." Lissa stammered, pointing at the wound on Robin's cheek.

Robin reached up to feel the wound, and saw that there was blood on his hand when he retracted it. He nodded, and let Lissa work on it.

"So… that is what an 'enraged' Robin is?" Chrom asked.

Tharja nodded. "When he becomes wounded, as long as it's not fatal, he enters a stage where he becomes immensely more powerful. And it's not just a matter of skill either, his weapon seems to be able to sense it, and responds by becoming stronger as well." she turned to her captive audience in the shepherds. "Back when we were in Plegia, milord Robin's skill in combat was feared by most. Only a select few, with general Mustafa being one of them, were able to beat him when he isn't enraged. No one ever tested it, but I'd wager there's no one in Plegia that can beat Robin when he gets enraged."

Chrom chuckled nervously. "Well, I'm glad that he's on OUR side then."

"Is there anything else about him we should know?" Frederick inquired.

Tharja shook her head. "I've already said way too much for one day." Frederick nodded, and didn't press the issue. By this point, he'd already placed his trust in Robin, even knowing that he used to be Plegian.

By this time, the rest of the Plegians trying to surround them had learned of Mustafa's fall and all fled. Basilio, Flavia and their men filed into the Midmire and caught up with the shepherds.

"C'mon, there's carriages waiting for us beyond this ravine! I say we high tail it out of here before more of them Plegian creeps show up!" Basilio roared.

The shepherds nodded in agreement, and began to march past the Midmire.


	17. Mad King Gangrel

**Author's Notes:**

**So this chapter ended up being the longest so far, which I suppose is pretty fitting. I actually didn't expect to get this chapter done today, but I felt pretty inspired to write it, so I guess I stayed up a little too late to finish it.**

**Fear not, diligent readers, for we are almost getting to the good parts of this story!**

**But for now, enjoy chapter 17:**

**Just past the Midmire…**

As the shepherds and Feroxi soldiers moved past the Midmire, they began to run towards the North. After a few minutes, they saw dozens and dozens of carriages in the distance.

As they drew near, a beautiful girl with pink hair ran up to meet them. "Khan Basilio!" she called.

"Olivia!" Basilio responded. "Sorry we kept you waiting."

Olivia shook her head. "When I didn't hear from you… I thought… I assumed the worst."

"Chrom? Robin?" Basilio gestured to the two. "Meet Olivia. She'll be smuggling us out of here."

"Only if you hurry!" Olivia replied with urgency in her voice. "Doubtless there are more of Plegia's troops coming this way!"

"Right." Basilio agreed. "Pile in, you lot!" he barked at the Feroxi. Everyone, including the shepherds entered the carriages. "Ready?" Olivia called. "Hold on tight!" With that, the horses began to move, and they carriages steadily made their way back to Regna Ferox.

The carriages were somewhat crowded. After all, they needed to fit all of the Feroxi army. However, all of the shepherds, aside from the ones with mounts fit into one of them fairly easily. Robin spent the duration of the trip sitting next to Lissa, with the princess's arms wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder.

He saw Chrom sitting down, seemingly broken. Robin wanted to be able to comfort him as well, but didn't know what to do or say. What he didn't notice was the look of jealousy on the face of Tharja.

Soon, the caravan of carriages successfully retreated across the Feroxi border. They stopped at the first Feroxi town, and everyone got out. Everyone gathered at the center of town.

As soon as they didn't have to worry about being ambushed by Plegians again, Lissa began to break down and cry again.

"All that… for nothing…" Robin muttered to himself.

Frederick shook his head. "I should have died before allowing the Exalt to be captured… I've failed as a knight."

"So what now, oaf?" Flavia demanded. "Don't look at me!" Basilio protested. "Last I checked, I'm not the reigning khan anymore. I'm not in charge!"

Flavia placed a hand on her forehead. "Ugh… I picked a GREAT time to regain full power…"

"Chrom…" Robin tapped the prince on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. My plan failed."

Chrom shook his head. "You did your best, Robin… You have my thanks. It's my own failures that haunt me now. I was just so… so powerless!"

It was Robin's turn to shake his head now. "It's not your fault either."

Chrom held up a hand. "She did it for me, Robin. So I wouldn't have to live with the guilt of either choice, she chose for me. She sacrificed herself rather than give up what could one day save the people."

Robin thought carefully for a moment, before speaking again. "Chrom, I was powerless once too, remember?" he began. "And yes, alone, I don't think either one of us is half the person your sister was. But together...maybe we can be something more. If you fall, I'll be there to pull you back up. When you fight for your sister's ideals, I'll be by your side. You don't have to become your sister, you know. You can still be true to yourself. You just have to give people hope in whatever way you can."

"What if I can't?" Chrom protested. "What if I'm not worthy of her ideals? What if I drag you down with me?"

Robin smiled. "If you aren't worthy, you'll keep at it until you are. And if we both fall down, well that's what friends are for, right?"

"That's right!" Nowi chimed in. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Tharja let out a rare smile. "I'll follow Robin anywhere. If he's staying with Ylisseans, then I'm here to stay too."

Lon'qu nodded in agreement. "Were you unworthy, I would've left a long time ago."

"It took great courage and charisma to unite us… something that you clearly have." Virion added.

"We all look up to you." Ricken began. "You're like a hero to us!"

Chrom let out a smile. "Thank you, everyone. Your words mean more than you could know. My shepherds... My warriors... There is work to be done. Gangrel must be stopped so that peace can once again reign in Ylisse. Will you help me?"

Lissa dried her tears. "You can count me in!" she exclaimed. "I'm tired of crying all the time. It's time to start punching stuff!"

"Hear, hear!" Maribelle exclaimed. "Our people have suffered far too much because of Gangrel!"

"Gladly would I fight and die for house Ylisse!" Stahl exclaimed.

"Gladly would I fight and KILL for house Ylisse!" Sully added, one upping the viridian cavalier.

Libra nodded. "Our hearts echo yours, sire."

Sumia looked at Chrom with resolve. "I will be the unbreakable shield at your side!"

"I'm with you too!" Kellam exclaimed, but no one noticed.

Vaike laughed. "Teach is here, and class is in session!"

"Your sister has earned my respect." Panne added. "And so the last taguel shall champion her."

"You have grown strong, milord." Frederick said to Chrom. "I may have set a poor example as a knight, but I swear to you I'll die before any more exalted blood is spilt!"

"How much you pay Gregor?" Gregor suddenly asked. Then, in response to the dirty looks he received, he quickly added, "Gregor make joke! ...why you look at Gregor like that?"

The tension was broken when Chrom let out a chuckle. "Thank you all. Truly. You honor me with your fealty. I will not falter again. This outrage must be answered, and the Mad King must be stopped." At this, Chrom made a fist in the air.

"Right!" Flavia agreed. "It's time Gangrel gets a dose of his own vulnery! The whole Feroxi army will be by your side."

Basilio laughed. "You young folk… your passion runs so hot! If I had any gray hairs, they would've been singed right off. In other words, count me in!"

"I'd like to go too…" Olivia quietly murmured. "The exalt did me a kindness once."

"She did?" Chrom asked out of curiosity.

"Y-yes, sire!" she stammered. "It would be a great honor to have a part in doing her justice! Although… all I can really do is dance, and I'm not even that good at it if I'm being honest…"

Basilio laughed. "She's too modest! Her dances inspire fighters to work twice as hard on the field of battle! You won't find a finer dancer in all the land!"

At this, Olivia began to blush profusely. "K-khan Basilio!" she protested.

Flavia chuckled. "Basilio and I will lead the Feroxi army to engage the Plegian army. That should buy your group enough time to rush to Gangrel and take care of him." she paused. "Hear that? That means you get the fun part!"

Basilio nodded. "You and Robin both have my confidence. You're born a leader, and he has a knack of guiding troops to victory. You both have some growing to do yet, but I can already see that you'll grow tall."

Chrom smiled. "Thanks Basilio."

"I've already sent a messenger to the capital." Flavia added. "There should be more troops arriving here in about two days. Let's take that time to rest up and get ready for our battle with Gangrel. Everyone is dismissed!"

With that, the Feroxi army and the shepherds left for some rest and relaxation.

Everyone did something unique in those two days.

Sumia ran off to a local bakery to buy some supplies. She wanted to bake some pies for Chrom in order to try and make him feel better.

Sully and Stahl trained harder than ever, in order to get ready for the battle with Gangrel.

Ricken and Virion did the same, at a separate training facility.

Vaike tried to train as well, but he found himself slightly distracted by Miriel, who was observing his actions during every training session.

Donnel could be seen sparring with Lon'qu. Lissa didn't mind watching them, especially since Maribelle kept her company.

Gaius explored the town with Panne. The latter was entirely based on curiosity, while the former simply wanted to find a sweets shop. Unfortunately for the poor thief, the Feroxi were not known for having sweet tooths.

Frederick approached Cordelia once everyone had separated. He whispered something into her ear, and the Pegasus Knight nodded in understanding. She immediately flew off for the Ylissean capital.

The two days passed extremely fast.

**Evening of the second day...**

Robin was in his room at the inn, preparing for the following day. He suddenly heard a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" Robin asked.

"It's me. Tharja." The voice replied. "May I come in?"

Robin gave his consent. The door opened, and Tharja walked in with a tome in her hands.

"Tell me, do you remember what a master seal is?" the dark mage asked.

Robin grinned. "Yes, I've read about them. They're pretty rare. They contain a special kind of quintessence that, when consumed, strengthens a person's body and mind." he looked at the weird looking tome in Tharja's hands. "Is that a master seal then?"

Tharja smiled. "It is… but it also isn't."

Robin looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's a modified master seal." Tharja explained. "It's one that was specifically crafted for YOU. It's a Necromancer's Pact. Val… Your father asked me to give this to you when you're ready." 'Although he probably didn't think it would be used against Plegia.' she thought to herself wryly.

"My father... " Robin murmured to himself. He took the book from Tharja.

As Robin's fingers made contact, the sigils on the cover of the book began to wildly glow purple. The tome lifted itself in the air, and opened by itself. The pages fluttered by, and the symbols inside the book flew up from the pages and through the air to Robin. Robin was enveloped with a bright light.

When the light faded, Robin looked down at his cloak. The cloak had changed, or rather, been upgraded. The symbols, which now he knew was anti magic silk, covered even more of him and was glowing faintly. He picked up the Necromancer's Pact that had fallen to the ground. The symbols over the cover was gone, as were the writing inside its pages. It had become, essentially, a blank book.

"How do you feel?" Tharja asked him.

"Better… a lot better." Robin admitted. "It's as if I'm bursting with power, and I don't really know what to do with it."

Tharja smiled. "You were… or rather, you still are a very special person. I won't go into any details, because frankly, I don't really know much of it myself. But you're an extremely strong fighter. It may not feel that way for you, because most of your power is latent. The Necromancer's Pact breaks the first seal of your true strength. It might need some time to get used to it, but you'll feel MUCH stronger than before."

Robin smiled. "Thanks, Tharja. This is perfect for tomorrow."

Tharja bowed. "I live to serve." with that, she excused herself from his room.

Robin took a moment to admire his new cloak. The old one, although effective, had large patches of cloth without any anti magic silk. The new one looked as if he'd be safe from magic attacks coming from any direction.

"So…" Robin began, talking to himself. "Necromancer, huh?"

**At the same time...**

Cordelia had just returned from the capital. She returned with a strange looking seal in her hands. She reported straight to Frederick

The Great Knight smiled. "Thanks Cordelia. I'll get this to him. Take a well deserved rest."

The Pegasus Knight smiled in return, and went off to lead her pegasus to the stables. Frederick made his way to Chrom's room.

"Milord?" he asked, knocking on his door. "I have something for you."

"Come in, Frederick." he heard the prince reply.

"Milord." Frederick began when he walked in. "I had Cordelia retrieve this from the capital. The Exalt had wanted you to have this when you took her position."

Chrom took the seal from Frederick. "Is this…"

Frederick nodded. "It's the Exalt's Brand. It's a master seal made especially for those with Exalted blood."

Chrom placed his hand over the seal and activated it. He immediately began to feel the power flow from the seal and into himself. He was enveloped in a white light.

"Thanks Frederick." Chrom smiled as the light faded. His armor was glowing with power. Chrom mounted the Fire Emblem on his shoulder. "I feel like I could take the Plegian army down by myself."

The Great Knight smiled in return. "Perfect for tomorrow then."

"Make sure you get a good night's rest." The Great Knight reminded him as he walked back out of the room.

**The following day…**

The shepherds and Feroxi gathered once again at the center of town before beginning their march to Plegia. There were some murmurs amongst them at the change of attire from Chrom and Robin.

The two in question saw each other, and immediately had a mutual understanding. "You too, huh?" Chrom had told him. Robin merely grinned.

Once everyone was gathered, they set off for Plegia.

"Does everyone understand the general plan? Robin asked the shepherds as they marched. He received a chorus of affirmations. "Good. We're going straight for Gangrel. The Feroxi will have the dangerous task of holding off the rest of the Plegians. They might have a lot of casualties."

"...And it'll be different for us?" Olivia asked skeptically. Chrom had allowed Olivia, under the encouragement of Basilio, to join with the shepherds for this battle,

Robin smiled. "I always make sure to take my victories with the fewest number of casualties possible. I don't know about the future, but we haven't lost a single shepherd yet."

"That's… that's very reassuring." Olivia muttered earnestly.

"So... " Robin changed the subject. "Is it smart to wave around the Fire Emblem like that?" Robin gestured to Chrom's shoulder. Chrom smiled. "I'll feel the safest if it's right next to me." he explained. "And I think it's extra insulting for Gangrel if I wave it in front of his face as I cut his best soldiers down."

Robin laughed. "Quite optimistic of you."

**Meanwhile, in Plegia…**

"The enemy has taken the field, milord." Aversa reported.

"Back already?" Gangrel laughed, still high from the thrill of victory. "It feels as if we had just said our goodbyes…"

"Our scouts report that they're in surprisingly good spirits." Aversa continued.

Gangrel scoffed. "Since when do we trust our scouts? Besides..." he continued. "They're armed like beggars compared to us! I could easily break their ranks like I break wind."

Aversa chuckled. "I would love to hear the song the bards make of that."

Gangrel cackled. "The Ylissean pup must learn the truth of this world! A man is either strong, or he is dead!"

Suddenly, a soldier ran up to the pair. "Y-your Highness! D-dire news!" the man stammered

"Oh?" Gangrel hardly seemed to care. "Speak."

"Our troops are laying down their weapons and deserting en masse! Please sir… I am but a messenger… have mercy…" The may slowly backed away, knowing full well what happened to the last person to give the king and Aversa bad news. The witch had slaughtered the man in front of everyone.

**With Chrom**

Frederick approached Chrom. "Milord, I have a message from Khan Flavia. The Plegian army is in disarray."

"What do you mean?" Chrom asked.

" It seems man of their soldiers are opposed to further violence." Frederick explained. "There has been infighting, desertion... Gangrel is trying to stamp out the mutiny by force, but with little success. Outside of a few faithful who serve him directly, his army has all but collapsed."

"This is great news! But why?" Chrom thought for a moment. "...Emmeryn."

"Yes, milord. Emmeryn. The reports say Gangrel's men chant her name as they abandon the field. Her words, and her sacrifice have made her a folk hero of sorts."

"Emmeryn…" Chrom murmured. "Why did it take me so long to understand? She knew that deep down, everyone desired peace. Even the Plegians. It just took so long to bring it to the surface."

Robin nodded. "I hope she can see this, wherever she might be." He placed a hand on Chrom's shoulder. "Today, we put an end to the Mad King Gangrel's rule and bring peace back to the land."

Chrom nodded, and he gathered to shepherds to make a charge on King Gangrel's position.

As he saw the shepherds approach, Gangrel began to taunt them. "Good day, young princeling. Still dreaming of your squashed sister?"

Chrom gritted his teeth. "No more talk, Gangrel. Today, you die, and peace returns to both Ylisse and Plegia."

Gangrel scoffed. "What hypocrisy! You despise me, wretch! You WANT to cut me down. You don't know the first thing about peace! No one does!"

"I know more than you ever will." Chrom replied.

"More than me?" Gangrel asked, laughing. "More than me? You ARE me! When life asks you a question, you answer with blood!"

Chrom nodded. "Maybe you're right. I will never be my sister. I could never forget men like you. Men who sow nothing but evil. All I have of her is her memory, and if I were alone, I might be driven to madness. But I'm NOT alone. My friends and brothers in arms stand beside me."

"Are you done? May I vomit now?" Gangrel mocked. "What a flowery harangue! Men are beasts! Nothing more! We fight! We kill! We devour our prey! Beasts do not stand behind beasts, little prince... They use each other only so long as it suits their own selfish purpose!"

"Perhaps that explains why your soldiers refuse to stand behind you?" Chrom countered. "You are a poison. A festering wound. I will accomplish what my sister could never do."

"Such a clever tongue you've got…" Gangrel mused. "Perhaps it would look quite fetching, hanging from mantle, next to your sister's corpse. Everyone! Attack!"

With that, the Plegians began to charge the shepherd's position.

{Shepherds, form up!} Robin called. {Armored units, charge towards the southeast, fighters, charge towards the southwest.}

They did just that. Sully engaged a Plegian mercenary while Stahl did the same to a brigand. Frederick kept an enemy hero busy while Chrom ran in and slashed the Plegian across his shoulder, before stabbing Falchion into his side. In the air, Sumia threw a javelin at an approaching mercenary. While it didn't hit, it did stop the Plegian from charging up to Chrom. Kellam bashed an enemy fighter down with his shield, giving Ricken an easy target for his wind spell.

On the other front, several Plegian mages launched spells at the figure of Panne as she ran through the woods. Little did they know, this was one of Robin's plans. Most of the spells missed, except for a well aimed Arcfire from a Plegian sage. Panne cried out in pain, but she had done her job. She began to limp back towards the healers.

Because the mages all threw their spells at the same time, it gave the rest of the fighters an opening when the mages couldn't attack. Gregor and Lon'qu led the charge, followed by Donnel, Gaius, Vaike and Olivia.

Gregor and Vaike each charged a mage, using brute strength to take them down in one blow. Donnel and Lon'qu ran at the sage. They each swung, and hit, the sage three times before he fell.

Gaius ran at another mage, drawing his knife. He lunged at the mage's throat, but to his dismay, the mage held up his tome. The stab meant for the mage ended up going through the binding of the book, causing his knife to get stuck. 'Not good!' Gaius thought as the mage drew a knife, kept in the robes of a mage for emergencies such as these, and lunged at the thief. However, before his blade connected with Gaius, the mage fell from a slash to the neck by Olivia's dagger.

"S-sorry," the dancer mumbled. Gaius grinned and retrieved his knife. "What are you apologizing for? You probably just saved me." he motioned with his hand. "C'mon babe, we can't fall behind the others!"

Olivia blushed from Gaius's nickname for her, but nonetheless followed after him.

Meanwhile, Gangrel looked on from his position. He saw the shepherds slowly beginning to inch closer to him. In the distance, he could make out a figure directing the battle. Gangrel couldn't put a finger on it, but he swore he'd seen their tactician before. Too bad he was far away, otherwise Gangrel might actually be able to see him clearly.

Instead, Gangrel decided not to push the matter. What he doesn't know, he doesn't know after all. "Yes! Draw closer!" he taunted. "Let them charge at us in RAGE! More of my soldiers shall greet them at every step! Who needs that good for nothing Validar or his son? We'll take them all down, right here, right now!"

Gangrel turned to a nearby soldier. "Signal the reinforcements. Pile on top of them!" The soldier quickly ran away to carry out the order.

Gangrel turned back to the field. "How will you fare when the fight is on all fronts?" he mused to himself.

**With Robin**

Robin was busy towards the back while he surveyed the battlefield. They had broken through the soldiers on the western side with their armored units and the line of mages with their fighters. Panne had been injured serving as a distraction, and was busy being healed by Libra. Other than that, they had Miriel, Virion, Tharja, as well as Lissa and Maribelle.

Robin suddenly froze. Multiple more red icons appeared on his Hekseer towards the northwest. Many flying units were approaching them from the south as well.

"Virion, You go to the southwest, Miriel, you to the southeast. Help them take out the Wyvern Riders. Hurry!" The two ran off to accomplish their tasks. Robin then turned to the remaining shepherds with him. "We can't really pull back the others right now, so we'll need to fend off the reinforcements ourselves. Libra, let Maribelle and Lissa finish up with Panne. We're going to need your axe."

The war monk nodded, and got up. There were only three of them capable of fighting. Robin, Libra, and Tharja. Robin and Libra met the Plegian troops to the north head on. Libra quickly cut down a lancer and moved on to engage a fighter. Robin fought back and forth with an enemy hero. He held a slight advantage because his scythe had a longer range than the hero's silver sword. While they fought, Tharja blasted down a mercenary with her Elthunder tome.

After her target had been killed, Tharja immediately switched to her Nosferatu tome. She aimed the spell at the Plegian hero, who was in a deadlock with Robin and began to chant. Her spell connected, and the hero withdrew his weapon in pain. This gave Robin the opportunity to slash Naglrath across the man's chest, killing him. Tharja let out a seemingly rare smile, but was quickly brought back to reality by Libra's scream.

"Look out!" The war monk cried as he dove in front of a mercenary lunging at Tharja. He was able to deflect the blow so that the Plegian's sword made a cut across his shoulder, but did not damage any of his vitals.

Tharja snarled, and blasted the man to oblivion with more dark magic. "Thanks." she said to the war monk dismissively. "Go get that wound checked out." Libra nodded, and made his way to Lissa and Maribelle.

Meanwhile, Robin held his own against the rest of the Plegians. He could feel the difference in power from his old self as he began to really get warmed up. He slashed his scythe through the air, sometimes going for soldiers within reach, and other times launching blades of dark energy towards enemies that were far away.

Soon, both Panne and Libra were fully healed, and the two sped to Robin's side. With the addition of Tharja, the four began to beat back the Plegians trying to assault them from the rear. The few survivors eventually opted to flee from the battlefield.

Robin withdrew his scythe and took one last look at the retreating figures. "C'mon, now that that's taken care of, we need to go help the others. Libra, and Tharja nodded, while Panne immediately turned around and began to run towards their allies to the south.

**Meanwhile…**

Sumia was in the air, trying to support Chrom as best as she could. She threw javelins at any Plegian that tried to approach Chrom as he was busy fighting someone else. Often times, she wouldn't hit her target, but it would force them to back away, for fear of being targeted by the throwing spears again.

Just now, she threw one at a spear fighter trying to blindside Chrom. This time, her aim was true and the javelin impaled the Plegian soldier's chest against the ground.

Eventually, the Plegians grew tired of the Pegasus Knight and her javelins. "Someone shoot that one down!" She heard a soldier yell. 'Oh no!' she thought as several spells and arrows flew her way.

She managed to dodge most of them. However, one arrow got past her. Even worse, the arrow hit her pegasus on the joint connecting her wing to her side, causing the wing to snap.

Sumia and her pegasus began to plummet towards the ground.

'This is the end!' Sumia thought to herself. "Sorry Chrom, I was never able to tell you how I truly felt…" she muttered to herself wistfully as she closed her eyes and accepted her impending death.

"Sumia!" she suddenly heard someone near her cry out. She opened her eyes to see Cordelia diving towards her on her own pegasus. "Take my hand!" the other Pegasus Knight called out as she reached out with one arm.

Sumia obliged, and reached for Cordelia's hand with her own. When they grabbed each other, Cordelia suddenly had her pegasus slow her descend, effectively slowing down Sumia's fall.

"Nowi!" Cordelia called. "Here! I'm here!" Sumia heard the draconic voice of the Manakete call out. "I'm gonna let go now, trust us." Cordelia said. She did just that, and allowed her own pegasus to elevate back into the air before he crashed into the ground. Sumia began to fall again, but was caught by the talons of Nowi's dragon form. "I gotchu now!" she said gleefully as she lowered Sumia to the ground.

Sumia reached the ground safely, but unfortunately, the same could not be said for her pegasus. There was a sickening THUD when she hit the ground, that sent chills up the spines of friend and foe alike. Sumia slowly made her way to her fallen mount, despite the carnage happening around her.

"No… Meg…" she whimpered. Nowi reverted back to her human form, but didn't know what to do or say. Shortly after, Cordelia landed besides her. Seeing the corpse of her friend's mount, she pulled Sumia into a hug.

"Don't think about that right now… The important thing is that you're safe." Cordelia told her. "And right now, the shepherds need you."

Sumia wiped away a few stray tears. "You're right! Chrom still needs us!" She reached for her steel lance, which was strapped to her pegasus's side. "Even though Nutmeg is gone, I can still fight!"

With that, Cordelia got back on her own pegasus, and Sumia and Nowi began to run towards Chrom and the others.

**With Chrom**

Chrom led the armored shepherds through the western flank of the Plegians. He turned his head and saw that the others were going the same to their eastern flank. They kept plowing through the Plegian soldiers as they steadily made their way to King Gangrel.

Finally, Chrom was within reach of the Mad King. "Come, princeling!" Gangrel taunted. "I've sharpened my sword, just for you!"

Chrom charged with his Falchion. "My sister wished for our people to know peace, Gangrel. But as long as you draw breath, it can never come. For Ylisse!"

Gangrel laughed and pointed his jagged sword at the Ylissean prince. "Take this!" he shouted as a bolt of lightning arced from his sword towards Chrom. "What the-" The prince exclaimed in surprise. He raised Falchion, and the bolt redirected itself towards the sword. Chrom swung the sword down towards the ground, and the bolt of lightning fizzled out when it made contact with the earth.

Chrom continued to charge at the Mad King while the shepherds around him fought the king's personal guard. When he got within striking distance of Gangrel, Chrom slashed his sword horizontally towards him. Gangrel blocked with his own sword, sending electricity crackling down both their weapons.

"What is that weapon?" Chrom wondered aloud. "Like it, don't you?" Gangrel asked amidst their deadlock. "How about I give you another demonstration?" At this, Gagrel pushed Chrom back and flipped away from him. Once he got a few meters away, Gangrel aimed his sword at the prince again.

This time, Chrom wasn't quick enough, and the sword's lighting hit him across the chest, knocking the prince back and causing him to fall to one knee.

Gangrel cackled. "Yes! That's the proper position you should be in, kneeling in front of me!" He grinned, pointing his sword at the prince again, preparing to finish his target.

Chrom looked around, and he saw the other shepherds still struggling to deal with the king's elite soldiers. No one seemed capable of helping him this time. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst.

Suddenly, a purple blur dove in front of the prince. The bolt of lightning got deflected by Robin's scythe and into the ground. "That's a levin sword, Chrom. I'll handle this one."

Gangrel froze when he saw him. "YOU!" he pointed at Robin. "So YOU'RE the one… I knew you and your father were up to no good! You filthy traitors!"

Robin looked at Gangrel with a murderous look in his eyes. "I don't remember ever being associated with you, nor would I wish to. I'm only here to assist in bringing you closer to your death."

"Traitors! Two faced traitors! Now you pretend like you don't even know me! After everything I've done for you…" Gangrel continued hysterically.

"Robin here wasn't betrayed anyone." Tharja said as she sauntered over. "He's lost his memories, you see."

Gangrel's eyes bulged out when he saw her. "YOU! He said as he pointed his finger at her accusingly. "I treated you so well! I honored your request and gave you the position you sought after, and yet you also stab me in the back. Traitors! You all are traitors!"

Tharja merely laughed. "Must I remind you, dear king, that the one I serve is Robin, and not you. I haven't betrayed anyone. I'm only following my duty." Then, seeing the look of disbelief on her former king's face, added "I could never stand how you treated your subjects, but most of all, how you treated Robin. I hope he has a lot of fun slashing you up." she then walked over to Robin and pulled out the knife that all mages kept in the event that an enemy got too close.

"Shall I help you?" she asked him. Robin's eyes widened in realization of what she was offering, but nonetheless nodded.

Tharja leaned close to him and gently drew a line across his right cheek with her knife. The wound slowing began to turn red as blood began to seep out.

Robin felt the effects immediately. He felt his limbs become lighter and his vision improved. He raised his scythe and charged Gangrel.

Gangrel, in a panicked state, desperately launched a bolt of at Robin's face. Robin held up his non dominant arm in the path of the lightning, and the bolt harmlessly fizzled out against his cloak.

Robin closed the distance between them extremely quickly. He whirled his scythe through the air, and Gangrel desperately tried to block Robin's attacks. However, the levin sword proved to be much weaker at a close distance, and he was unable to hold on. After a few strikes, Robin was able to knock the levin sword from Gangrel's grasp. Robin plunged the blade of his weapon into the midsection of the Mad King.

"This… is… for… EMMERYN!" Robin roared. His eyes glowed a furious reddish purple and his expression made any Plegia looking at him freeze in fear.

"F-fools… all of you…" Gangrel got out, even as he felt the life leaving his lips. "Your people do not care for you… Every man lives… and dies… alone…" With that, he fell over, dead.

Robin retracted his weapon. "You're wrong, Gangrel." Robin told the dead body. "We don't live or die alone, because unlike you, we have friends. It is because of these bonds that we share, that we are able to continuously live to fight another day."

"Well said." Chrom said, as he was being tended to by Lissa. "Thank you, Robin. That felt good to watch."

Frederick rode up to the prince. "Milord! Are you ok?" he asked in a hurry. Chrom merely nodded. Frederick breathed out a sigh of relief before continuing. "The remaining Plegian forces are surrendering en masse!"

Chrom nodded with a smile on his face. "Good. Order our forces to cease fighting at once." he fought through the pain, and got back onto his feet.

Moments later, Flavia and Basilio made their way to Chrom as well.

"It's finished." Flavia declared. "Once their messenger delivers our terms, that's it. We've put an end to this bloody business, once and for all!"

Chrom smiled melancholically. "We've won… and yet… I don't feel like celebrating."

Basilio sighed. "Victories can be both bitter and sweet, boy. It's good that you learn that now."

"Regna Ferox lost many soldiers today." Flavia said. "We need to see to our dead, and tend to our living. Then we'll rebuild our army."

"I'm sorry, Flavia." Chrom began. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. Ylisse will compensate your nation in any way-"

"Oh?" Flavia interrupted with a smirk on her face. "How about you just hand over the Fire Emblem and we call it even?" Then, seeing the dumbfounded look on Chrom's face, quickly added, "I'm kidding. It's just some Feroxi humor is all."

She patted Chrom on the shoulder. "Worry not about our finances Chrom. Reparations will fall to Plegia, and trust me. I've seen their treasury. They can well afford it."

Basilio nodded gravely. "Yes. Pity the man that stands between Flavia and a full coffer, boy."

Chrom nodded, imitating Basilio's mournful expression. "I'll make sure to remember that when she comes visit Ylisstol."

At this, everyone around began to laugh.

They were interrupted by a loud cry. "Captain!" Chrom, along with Robin, Flavia, Basilio, Lissa and Frederick turned to see Sumia and Cordelia rush over.

"Sumia?" Chrom asked.

"Oh captain! You made it!" Sumia exclaimed. She ran up to him and hugged him.

Flavia gave a cheeky grin. "Ho ho! Now let's give these two lovebirds some room!"

"Su-sumia! You're choking me!" Chrom protested.

"Uh, Flavia? Robin? Everyone? Maybe we should… y'know…" Lissa threw her thumb over the shoulder and looked away.

"Carry on, lovebirds." Was the last thing that was said before Flavia and everyone else left the two alone.

"Hey… how come I only saw Cordelia's pegasus earlier?" Chrom asked once they were alone. At this, tears began to fall down Sumia's face. Chrom's eyes went wide in understanding.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." he told her, finally returning her hug.

"I know I haven't paid you much attention with all that's been going on." he continued. "But it feels really good to know that there's someone that still cares about me."

Chrom sighed. "So many have suffered and died because of my actions. Next to my sister's legacy, I feel I'm already a disappointment…"

"That's not true!" Sumia stopped crying to protest. "Everyone fought so hard for you! Why would we do that for a man we didn't believe in?"

Chrom chuckled. "Thanks Sumia. You always helped me see the brighter side of things."

Sumia smiled. "No, to me, YOU'RE the brightest thing!"

There was an awkward silence between the two of them for a moment.

"Sumia…" Chrom finally broke the silence. "Y-yeah?" came the reply. At this moment, Chrom made a decision that would change both of their lives forever.

"I'm far from a perfect man, and I know you can do better. But whenever you're close...you give me strength. So, what I want to ask is... Will you be my wife?" Chrom finally got out.

Sumia paused for a moment and blinked several times, not believing what she just heard. "YES!" she finally exclaimed. "Yes, yes, oh Naga, YES!"

Chrom smiled. "Oh, thank Naga! I was worried for a second, because… well anyway… this is for you." He pulled his ring off his finger and gave it to Sumia.

"Y-your ring?" Sumia squeaked. "B-but… that bears the Ylissean crest! Chrom! I can't take this!"

Chrom nodded. "Yes you can. My parents had it made to celebrate my birth. They wanted me to give it to the woman I would spend my life with. Take it. Please. And know I will love you until the day I die."

"Capt… Chrom! Thank you… I swear I'll return that love to you a hundredfold!" she exclaimed as she accepted the ring.

Chrom chuckled. "Then I am a fortunate man. I'll need to ask for a bit of patience for the near future. My first duty must be to heal the scars of war and assume my role for the people. But then, we can begin our life together."

"I'll wait as long as it takes!" Sumia exclaimed. "I...I still hardly believe it. This is like a dream. So much pain surrounds us, and yet... I think this is the happiest day of my life."

"I feel the same way." Chrom nodded. "I know together we can bring joy back to the royal palace. I'll do everything I can to make the castle a happy home for us...my love."

"My love…" Sumia agreed. The two embraced each other once again.

Their moment was finally interrupted by Nowi enthusiastically running up to them. "Sumia! Sumia! There's something Cordelia wanted you to see!"

"I guess I should go see it then." Sumia smiled. She stood on her toes and pecked Chrom on the cheek, earning a "D'awwwwww" from the Manakete. Sumia then went off with Nowi. Chrom watched her leave, brushing the cheek he'd been kissed on with his hand. "So you two are together now?" he heard Nowi ask as Sumia enthusiastically nodded. "Wow!" the Manakete continued. "I wonder what it's like to be with someone? I hope I find out soon!"

The two made their way into the Plegian castle and towards the stables. There, Sumia saw Cordelia at work, busily removing the shackles from a pitch black Falicorn.

Cordelia looked up. "Hey Sumia, over here!" she waved them over. "The Plegians told me this pegasus used to belong to someone." she explained. "Katarina, I think they said. Anyways, apparently she was an enemy of Gangrel, so he locked up her pegasus once she died. I thought that maybe we could take her as a replacement for Nutmeg."

Sumia walked up to the animal. "Oh, you poor thing…" The Falicorn responded by affectionately nudging her hand with her head. "Oh, aren't you precious…" Sumia paused, not knowing what to call her.

"Belfire." Cordelia told her "Her name is Belfire". Sumia smiled. "Right. Well, I guess I'm your new rider then, Belfire. Welcome to the team." The Falicorn happily neighed in agreement.

**Meanwhile, near the Plegian castle, on top of a small cliff**

Marth looked on as the shepherds, under the command of Robin, beat back the Mad King Gangrel's forces. She never really got the opportunity to observe Robin's strategies in the past, so she was blown away by the efficiency and intelligence of his plans. It was far better than anything that she could've come up with. Had it been him leading her forces, maybe things would've turned out better, she mused.

She also looked on after the battle, because she knew this was when Chrom proposed to Sumia. She sighed as she appreciated the moment.

She took a deep breath, and smiled as she felt the cool, crisp, spring breeze on her face.

**Some time in the distant future…**

Little Lucina rubbed her face with her hands. She had been studying arithmetic with Mister Robin all morning. Even though it was a time that she enjoyed, she could only take so much hard labor of the brain before needing some rest.

"Can we take a break?" she asked him. "I'm tired."

Robin smiled. "Actually, I was thinking we stop here for today. You've been working hard for the past few hours after all. We've made quite some progress!" Those words were music to Lucina's ears.

"Does this mean we can go play now?" Lucina asked him hopefully.

"Well, I actually planned for us to go on a trip today." Robin said with a smile on his face. "I packed us a lunch!" he held up a basket, which the little girl presumed to be full of food.

"Oh yay! I love mister Robin's food!" Lucina giggled as she clapped her hands happily. "Mister Robin's food is so yummy! It's even better than mommy's!"

Robin held up a finger to her in warning. "Remember, don't ever let your mother hear you say that. She'll feel bad."

"O...ok." Lucina conceded. "Where are we going today?"

Robin smiled. "I know of a place. It's on a hill, under a large tree. The weather's so nice today too, I thought it'd be nice for us to go on a picnic!"

"Picnic?" Lucina asked, feeling quite skeptical about how fun such a trip could be. Robin seemed to sense this. He patted her on the head. "Don't worry, Lucina. I know it will be a lot of fun."

Lucina wasn't so sure. "Really? Promise?" she asked him. "Promise." he replied.

"Pinky promise?" she asked again, sticking out her hand. Robin smiled, and wrapped his pinkie around Lucina's. "Pinky promise."

Lucina finally felt satisfied. "Okay Mr. Robin, let's go!"

Robin picked up his picnic basket in one hand, and held Lucina's in his other. They left her room.

"W...wait, where are we going? The exit is that way!" Lucina protested, turning around and pointing in the other direction.

Robin leaned down, as if telling her a secret. He whispered to her, "We're going this way because we need to go to the stables."

Lucina, feeling like Robin was confiding something super secret to her, whispered back. "Why are we going there?"

"Because we're going on horseback to the place I told you about." Robin whispered back,

Lucina gasped in delight. "We're going to ride a horsie?" she asked. "Mommy and daddy never let me do that!" This was also true, but what Lucina didn't know was that Robin already received the OK from her parents. But to her, it felt like Robin was letting her do something her parents forbid.

The two made their way to the stables and got a cart with a horse. There were already some things in the cart, such as a blanket and a book. Lucina could tell that Robin had clearly thought this through, which made her feel happy.

Robin placed the picnic basket into their cart. He picked the princess up and placed her on the horse's saddle. Then he got onto the horse himself.

They began to ride away from the castle. At first, the horse just walked slowly, and Lucina basked in the joy of simply being on a horse. She alternated between looking at the scenery, patting the horse's skin, and stroking the horse's mane. The weather was indeed nice. It was sunny, but not hot. When the frequent breeze blew across them, they felt slightly chilly.

After awhile, Lucina began to feel a little bit bored. "Can we go faster, mister Robin?" she asked politely.

Robin smiled. "Sure." He urged the horse to begin to trot. Lucina began to giggle. He enjoyed watching everything pass by quickly, and reached out her hand to feel the breeze. "Faster, mister Robin, faster!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright, but only one more time…" Robin continued. He urged the horse to begin to canter. The wind blew in Lucina's face. Her hair flew backwards into the air. She breathed it all in, feeling the crisp, spring air and enjoying it immensely.

Eventually they reached their destination. Robin tied the horse and cart to a tree at the base of a large hill, and the two began to make their way up the trail to the top of the hill. Lucina giggled and ran up ahead energetically, with Robin slowly following her. She would repeatedly turn back and wave at him, urging him to move faster. Once they reached the top, Robin spread out the picnic blanket and set the basket down underneath the shade of a large tree.

Robin fished out two sandwiches from the basket and handed one to Lucina, who happily accepted it and began munching away on it.

After they ate, Robin read more of 'The Waltz of the Three Kingdoms' to her. He leaned against the tree, and Lucina sat in his lap. Whenever she didn't understand something, she spoke up and Robin happily explained it to her.

After a while, Robin stopped to retrieve some more snacks from his basket. When they were done eating, They played and rolled around the hill, with both of them working up a sweat. However, the weather and breeze was so nice that they couldn't even really feel it.

When they were done, they took a nap under the tree, with Robin leaning against the trunk, and Lucina laying her head down in his lap. When it began to get late, Robin gently woke the sleeping princess, and packed everything back up.

Robin made his way down the hill, balancing everything in one hand while the other supported the still groggy princess on his shoulders. Once they reached the bottom, Robin allowed Lucina to rest in the cart while he fed the horse.

They made their way back to the castle, and Lucina only vaguely remembered being given a bath by her mother before being brought to bed. However, the details of the day were so memorable that she remembered everything vividly. To her, it almost felt like it was the best day of her life.

**Olivia: HP: 70% Str: 40% Mag: 25% Skl: 75% Spd: 75% Lck: 60% Def: 25% Res: 30%**

**Age: 17**

**Class: Dancer**

**Chrom: Class Change: Great Lord**

**Robin: Class Change: Necromancer (Scythes, Tomes, Staves-(restrictions apply))**

**Sumia: Class Change (hinted): Dark Flier**


	18. Pages from Robin's Journal (3)

**Author's Notes:**

**This chapter turned out to be a whole lot longer than I had initially anticipated. To be fair though, it covers the quieter two years that passed after they defeated Gangrel. There is room for a lot of things to happen during that time. Not much plot advancement, so I guess it's just a pretty fluffy chapter.**

**Keep in mind, I have written many, but not all of the occurrences that have happened. Just don't be surprised in the future is all I'm trying to say. Two years is a long time, compared to the month ish that has technically happened so far. Think of this as an extremely compressed two years.**

**That's enough of my babbling though, here is chapter 18: **

**March 28th**

Today, we made it out of Plegia. However, we ran into some Plegians at the Midmire. Thankfully, the Feroxi army was able to hold back their reinforcements while we engaged in the main Plegian force.

Before getting there though, I managed to have a chat with Tharja. Apparently, I was of Plegian nobility, and she had been serving me. However, she won't go into details, because she believed that it would not be good for me to know, since I'm with the shepherds. This can only lead me to believe that I was one of Gangrel's subjects. Of course, this is only speculation, but if it's true, then I'm glad I lost my memories and found new ones with the shepherds.

After we fought past the initial wave of Plegians, we made our way towards their general. He also seemed to have recognized me, and even challenged me to a duel. This made me wonder, because if a Plegian general recognizes me, then I probably was pretty high up the ladder in terms of social status. I was no match for his brute strength, but instead of killing me, he seeked only to wound me. Tharja explained to me later that when I'm wounded in battle, I enter an enraged state that makes my senses elevated and my combat ability intensify. I feel like general Mustafa knew he was going to die, and was just trying to satisfy his curiosity before he did.

Anyways, after we fought past the Plegians, Basilio led us to a caravan of carriages led by a beautiful dancer named Olivia. She was able to smuggle all of the shepherds, as well as the remaining Feroxi forces with us, back to Regna Ferox.

Currently, we are resting in one of Regna Ferox's border towns. Flavia informed us that she sent a messenger to the capital for reinforcements, which will arrive in about two days. In the meantime, we can take the next couple of days to rest and regroup. That's all for now, all in all, it's been quite a long day.

**March 29th**

Everyone did a mix of resting and preparing for the upcoming fight with Gangrel. I spent a good chunk of time formulating a plan for how to beat Gangrel and his troops. It would have to be quick and efficient, before more of his troops can flood to his aid. The Feroxi army will take the more difficult task of keeping the rest of the Plegian army busy. I expect for them to have many casualties.

When my brain felt fried, I went outside for some fresh air. I ran into Sumia as she came back to the inn, with baking supplies in her arms. Apparently she's been making Chrom some pies lately, and she was going to continue doing just that today. It's obvious how much she cares for him, I just hope Chrom is not too dense.

As I took my walk, I ran into Gaius and Panne. They were roaming the streets, with Panne essentially window shopping while Gaius tried to find a place that sold sweets. It's nice to see Gaius somewhat reformed, and Panne getting used to the feeling of living amidst humans.

I finished the day by eating with the rest of the shepherds, and doing some reading before going to bed. All in all, not a bad day.

**March 30th**

I awoke slightly later than usual today. By the time I got to the dining area, the shepherds were mostly there, with some Feroxi soldiers mingled in as well. I got some food and found a empty spot next to Donnel and Maribelle. They were discussing the laws of Ylisse or something. That was weird.

Since I spent most of yesterday working, I decided to not work as hard today. I ended up practicing casting magic at the shooting range.

After dinner, Tharja came and visited me in my room. She gave me a weird looking tome called the Necromancer's Pact, which was apparently a master seal that was created especially for me. I consumed it's contents, and afterwards, I felt much stronger. It still boggles me why someone would craft a master seal especially for me, which probably indicates that I had a large amount of influence in Plegia. I guess I won't know for now.

Tomorrow is the big day where we face off against Gangrel. I'd better get a good night's rest tonight. That's it for now.

**{Insert: March 30th}**

Donnel went to breakfast feeling quite enthusiastic. He had spent much of yesterday's afternoon studying the book Maribelle had given him, and was finally finished memorizing it. He brought the book down with him to breakfast, and sat down next to a surprised Maribelle.

"I done it!" Donnel exclaimed to her. "I got it all good'n learned, so you can have this here book back."

"Preposterous!" Maribelle exclaimed. "Even I have not yet committed the entire code to memory!"

"I wouldn't lie to ya, ma'am! I've always been good at memorizin' stuff. Ma used to say that it's 'cause my head's so empty. There's plenty'a room."

"Then I suppose you wouldn't object to me asking you a few questions then…" Maribelle challenged. "What crimes fall under the auspices of Article IV, section III?"

Maribelle was surprised when Donnel gave the correct answer. She continued to search through the book for the most obscure and even impractical laws to see if Donnel truly memorized everything. They didn't notice when Robin came and sat down next to them.

"...And he shall be sentenced to no fewer'n one or greater'n ten years' imprisonment. ...'Lessun he give the goat back, that is." Donnel finished.

"Correct, AND verbatim!" Maribelle exclaimed. "Well… except for the awkward grammar. Have you really got the entire legal code memorized?" she asked once again.

"Yep!" Donnel replied. "Spent every bit of free time on it, I did!"

Maribelle blinked a few times. "All on this one book?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, you said it was important to ya." Donnel replied, scratching the back of his head. "So it'd be mighty rude of me to sit on it. 'Sides, it's awful nice of ya to teach me, so I outta do my part!"

"I must confess, Donnel, I did not expect you to take to the task with such zeal." Maribelle admitted. "I fear I have underestimated you, and for that I apologize. I see now that you are a diamond in the rough. ...Very rough, it's true, but a diamond nonetheless! I shall make it my case to see you polished into a sparkling paragon of a gentleman!"

"Uh…" Donnel began, "I dunno about all that…"

But Maribelle's mind had been set, so Donnel's opinion did not matter anymore. She immediately began to prepare for how to teach Donnel to be a gentleman.

**March 31st**

Today was a historical day.

We fought against Gangrel's forces and won. It was significantly easier because most of the Plegian army was refusing to fight. Apparently they chanted Emmeryn's name as they left the field of battle. This made the Feroxi army's job a lot easier. It turns out, Chrom must have hid away a seal for a special occasion or something, because he clearly had undergone a drastic change overnight. It seems we really synced ourselves up.

Gangrel's forces fought without a concrete plan in mind, or at least that's what it looked like. They basically came at us with human wave tactics, either out of arrogance or stupidity, I do not know. Possibly both. Regardless, the only thing that was somewhat intelligent from Gangrel was sending some troops to charge us from our backside. However, we were still able to repel them, in part thanks to my newly awakened power.

Then came the actual confrontation with Gangrel. Had he been using any other sword, I would be confident that Chrom would be able to take him. However, he had been using a levin sword, which was infused with electric energy. Although it's unfortunate that Chrom was unable to get Emmeryn's revenge by himself, I was happy to step in and do it for him. Gangrel's magic barely even tickled me, and without his parlor trick, he really isn't much of a combatant. At least Chrom got to watch the entire thing.

As soon as Gangrel was defeated, the Plegian forces began to surrender en masse. Chrom went to discuss details of the surrender alongside Frederick and the khans with the remaining governing officials of Plegia. I decided not to participate and instead went around healing the wounded. I felt that since I had the capability to, there wasn't really a reason why I shouldn't. Especially with all the deaths that occurred that day, it'd be a waste to not make use of all the quintessence.

I tried to focus on the ones with major wounds, ones with wounds from dark magic, or ones where staves would be ineffective. I think Lissa, Maribelle and Libra appreciated the help, especially since the Feroxi had many wounded with few healers.

Khan Basilio was so grateful that he shocked everyone, including Olvia, by offering that Olivia stay with the shepherds. "Even though she's a Feroxi treasure, no treasure is worth the countless lives you've saved today!" he declared. What shocked me even more is that she happily agreed to come with us. Apparently she'd always wanted to travel around the continent, and after finding out that the shepherds travel all around Ylisse protecting and helping the civilians, she decided that it'll be beneficial for all parties involved.

By the time we waved goodbye to the khans and began to head back to Ylisstol, the sun was already beginning to set. Stahl had chivalrously given his horse over to the newcomer, Olivia, to ride so she didn't have to walk the entire way. She appreciated it, and spent much of the trip chatting and laughing with Stahl, Sully, Gaius, and Gregor.

Sumia was leading a pitch black falicorn instead of her own pegasus. Once it saw me, it galloped over and began nudging me with it's head and cooing. Apparently Sumia says this means she really likes me. I don't understand why, I've never been really good with animals like she was. Aside from me suddenly being favored by this new pegasus, I honestly didn't know what had happened. I was perplexed by this issue until Nowi of all people was able to fill me in. Apparently her pegasus had been shot down by the Plegians, and the black one, Belfire it was called, is a replacement for her that they found in castle Dohlr. Still, she seemed awfully happy for someone that just lost her companion. I guess it's because they've only been together for a few weeks or so, but Nowi tried to convince me it was because of something else. She refused to tell me why though.

By the time we got back to the shepherd's garrison, it was already pitch black outside. Lissa showed Olivia to an empty room, and gave her one of her own changes of clothes, since she didn't really bring anything from Regna Ferox. Khan Basilio said that he'll send someone here with her stuff, but that'll take a day or two.

In general, everyone just said good night to each other and went off to their own rooms to rest. I, for one, was extremely happy to be back in the library. I read for a couple more hours before going to bed feeling quite satisfied.

**April 1st**

Sumia and Chrom told us the news today. They're gonna get married after this mess is all sorted out. At first, everyone thought they were joking around, to lighten the mood, but after a while, the shepherds began to realize that they were serious, one by one.

Most of the shepherds congratulated the new couple, and I did too. I'm glad Chrom was able to find someone he's willing to spend the rest of his life with.

However, I did notice Cordelia silently excuse herself. I thought something was up, so I left while everyone was still excited from the revelation to go find her. Turns out, she was in a secluded corner, bawling her eyes out.

She was just overwhelmed by the sudden revelation. She confided in me, and I did my best to try and comfort her. Some of the stuff she told me was pretty personal, so I won't write it in here. That night, during dinner, she sat next to me, and I tried my best to talk about happier times and things, to try to get her mind off it. I'm probably going to need to keep a close eye on her mental health in the coming few months.

**{Insert: April 1st}**

The shepherds were gathered in the dining hall, having lunch. After everyone was pretty much finished eating, they just sat around, socializing with one another. Chrom and Sumia made their way to the front of the room.

"Everyone, we have something important we'd like to share." Chrom said as he held Sumia's hand. "We're engaged." he said, as Sumia smiled with a light pink dusting her cheeks.

The room was silent for a moment. Well, all except for Vaike's spit take.

"Y'know, the mood isn't so bad after we won the war…" Lissa said. "You don't have to make jokes to try and get us to laugh, Chrom."

"So it's confirmed to be a joke by Lissa, right?" Stahl said, laughing nervously. "Good, because for a second, I actually thought-"

"We're serious." Chrom quickly said.

"You're, er… not joking?" Sully asked incredulously.

"No they're not! I saw them talk about it right after we beat Gangrel!" Nowi chirped.

"Hmm, now that you mention it, they DID have an opportunity to talk about it, when we left them alone, remember Lissa?" Robin asked the princess. "Oh, I guess you're right… SO HOW COME YOU DIDN'T TELL ME FIRST?" she immediately huffed at Chrom.

Robin smiled, and pulled Lissa back down to her seat. "Don't mind her, Chrom. We all deserved to know as well. Congratulations, I'm happy for you."

"I'd like to offer my sincere congratulations, prince Chrom." Libra said, giving him a bow.

"He he! Gregor is also offering most gracious employer with the sayings of the congratulations." Gregor laughed. "It is good for the young ones to be honest with the feelings."

Everyone immediately began to pile around the two, each offering their congratulations.

Robin laughed as everyone got up. He turned his head and noticed Cordelia bolt for the exit when she thought no one was watching.

"Hmm, Chrom and Sumia have enough people fawning over them right now, but something tells me that there's something wrong with Cordelia." Robin mused to himself. "I should honestly probably go check that out." With that, Robin sighed and also went for the exit.

It's extremely easy for Robin to find an ally when he really needs to. All he needs to do is open his Hekseer and his target's location is revealed. This was a good thing too, because Cordelia placed herself in the corner of the courtyard furthest away from the entrance behind a couple of bushes: a place no one would ever check unless they had a good reason to.

Robin steadily made his way over to her. He didn't call anything out, so Cordelia didn't notice when he approached her. She was busy crying in a fetal position. She didn't notice his presence until he sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She looked up at him. "R-robin? *sniff* What are you doing here?"

"Well I noticed that something might've been wrong, so I came to check on you." Robin truthfully replied.

"Nothing's wrong." Cordelia muttered.

"You sure?" Robin asked, not believing her for a second. "Don't worry, you can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you." He smiled at her. "I'm good at keeping secrets."

Cordelia stared at him for a second. She had an internal debate about whether to share everything with him or not. Finally, the side of her that told her she'd feel better if she shared her struggles with someone won her over and she began to tell Robin everything.

"I've… I've always had a crush on Prince Chrom." Cordelia admitted. "Ever since I was little. My family was of nobility in Ylisse and my father was a government official as well, and so I saw Chrom quite often when we were little." Robin's eye's went wide at the sudden revelation, but didn't interrupt her.

"And so, when I was around thirteen, I decided that the only way I could get closer to him, and MAYBE have a sliver of chance with him is if I went into the service of the royal family. I'd always been good with animals, and so I chose to join the Ylissean Pegasus Knights. At this point, the shepherds hadn't been created yet. I also knew that Sumia was falling hard for him, but I thought I could get a head start over her if I joined quicker."

At this point, she laughed wistfully. "But it seems that fortune doesn't favor me. A month after I joined the Knights, Chrom formed his organization of the shepherds, which Sumia immediately joined. They clearly had more opportunities than I did to become closer with each other. Had I been just a LITTLE more indecisive about my choice, perhaps I would've been able to join the shepherds earlier as well, and things might have been different…"

She paused to wipe her eyes. "I know you might be trying to comfort me, and I know you mean well, but you cannot understand what I'm feeling right now! You cannot understand what it feels like for the person you've fawned over all your life to be suddenly be snatched away from right in front of you… by your best friend, no less!"

When she was done, she began to cry harder, and Robin didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet. After a few moments of silence, besides the muffled crying of Cordelia, Robin finally spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I cannot pretend that to understand how you're feeling, or what you're going through, because I honestly don't. I don't have many memories to work with. The only thing I can offer you is my presence, and hopefully, comfort, as well as a shoulder to cry on and a person to vent to."

Cordelia gladly accepted the shoulder at this point. She sobbed for a few moments longer before talking again.

"Robin… can I ask you something?" she murmured.

"Ask away." Robin replied. "I'll answer it to the best of my ability."

"First, I have to tell you what happened… When we were fighting Gangrel, I saw Sumia flying above Chrom, keeping him safe. But then, I was the first one to see Sumia's pegasus get shot down. I ended up calling to Nowi for help, and I grabbed Sumia's hand as she was falling. This slowed down her fall enough for Nowi to swoop in and save her."

"So that's what happened…" Robin murmured. "Keep going, I'm listening."

"While that was going on, there was a little voice in my head. It told me that all I had to do was pretend I didn't notice and let Sumia fall to her death. Then my chances with Chrom would increase greatly… Even though she was my best friend, a part of me was telling me that I'd be happier with her dead, so I could be with Chrom." She looked up at Robin with tear stained eyes. "Tell me.. Is that fucked up? Am I a bad person for feeling that way?"

Robin breathed in surprise. He took a brief moment to gather his thoughts and formulate an answer.

"No Cordelia, it doesn't mean that." He finally said. "We are all humans, and as such, are tempted by what the world has to offer. Children are often tempted to steal candy from a sweets shop. Men are tempted to steal money from the defenseless. Are those feelings by themselves inherently evil? I think not. They are stemming from a deep desire and yearning for something."

Cordelia began to cry harder into Robin's shoulder. The tactician continued.

"Now, is the action of stealing candy or money evil? Absolutely. But that's the point. You didn't let Sumia drop to her death, because she's your best friend. The fact that your brain even considered otherwise is not a testament of how bad a person you are, but rather, a sign of how deep your yearning for Chrom was. So in short, no, you're not crazy, and you're not a bad person. You just had it bad for someone." Robin rubbed Cordelia's shoulder, trying to make her feel better. "In this case, unfortunately, he doesn't reciprocate your feelings. But don't let that bring you down. After all, Chrom surely won't be the only attractive man you meet in your life. He's just the one you're currently obsessing over."

Cordelia continued to cry into Robin's shoulder. A wet area began to appear in that area of his cloak, with the anti magic silk beginning to faintly glow. She nodded her head, as if to show Robin that she'd heard him.

"The road to recovery won't be easy." Robin admitted to her. "That much I know. Given the circumstances, I think it would be easy for you to close your heart off to anyone else. But please don't do that. That's a surefire way to remain alone for the rest of your days. Even if it feels right now that you can't be happy with anyone else, it is possible for that feeling to fade. Someday, Naga will bring the right one to you, and you may not even be expecting it."

"Thanks, Robin." Cordelia managed to get out between sniffles. "I feel a little better already. But… can you continue to hold me for just a while longer?"

Robin sighed and let out a smile. "Of course. Take as long as you'd like. Remember, you're never alone here. Even though you might not have joined as early as many of the others, you're still a shepherd now. And we shepherds help each other out. If there's ever anything on your mind, know that I'll be happy to listen to it."

They stayed that way for a few moments longer as Cordelia desperately tried to compose herself.

"Ready?" Robin eventually asked. Cordelia replied by numbly nodding into Robin's shoulder.

The two got up from behind the brush. "Robin… I fear that if I go back in looking like this…" she gestured to her puffy, red eyes. "That it'll attract too much attention. And I'd hate to be a downer on such a monumental day for Sumia and Chrom."

Robin chuckled. "See, how can you be a bad person?" he smiled. "Don't worry. Take some time off, maybe go take a stroll around town or something. I'll tell anyone that asks, that you were feeling a little nauseous after lunch and just went to get some fresh air."

Cordelia let out a smile, which honestly wasn't easy for her.

"Thanks Robin. I really mean it."

**April 6th**

Chrom made the announcement a couple days ago that even though we have peace once again in our continent, we still need to be ready to mobilize for battle at a moment's notice. Emmeryn had emphasized peace, and as such, did not want to build up a Ylissena army. However, because of this, Plegia felt confident to declare war. There are many other continents, each with their own nations. News has it that the Valmese are building up a large army, so we need to be prepared in the event of an invasion.

Basically, things won't really change for the shepherds. We'll continue to train and protect the citizens of Ylisse, and be ready to become Chrom's personal force should a war suddenly erupt. Chrom, however, is also going to begin to build up an army. He has decided not to use conscription, and instead made it strictly voluntary. I didn't think he would get many recruits, but it turns out I was wrong. It seems that many of the border town Ylisseans were fed up with constant bandit raids, and they also did not like how the Plegians were able to bully them. Basically, the people think that it's a good idea to have some trained soldiers, to protect the civilians if nothing else, rather than to have almost none.

**April 9th**

Today, Sumia asked me to teach her how to cast magic. Apparently falicorns, unlike tradition pegasi, aren't scared of magic, which makes it possible for riders of falicorns to wield magic. She told me that if she learned how to use tomes, she'd be able to better support Chrom from a distance, instead of using javelins. I thought it was a pretty good idea, so I agreed.

It turns out, Sumia seems to have a decent natural affinity for magic. Even without much previous training, she was able to pick up on how to cast a basic thunder spell. This actually reminds me, I should pick up some better tomes in the future, for myself.

After we practiced for a couple hours (and worn out several tomes), Maribelle made her way over to us. I thought it weird at first why she would randomly come, because she doesn't use the facility. But apparently, she had found out that Sumia had been trying to learn how to use tomes, and wanted to join us. She said that she was tired of only being able to use her staves, and that being able to use tomes would mean she could protect herself, as well as doing a share of the fighting in the future. Maribelle caught up quickly. After all, it's not too much of a change from using staves to using tomes. Of the beginner tomes we've used, she seems to be most proficient in using wind magic.

While we were practicing, I managed to also get used to using dark tomes. Tharja has been asking me why I don't use them, since I'm capable of it, and it's much stronger. At first, I refused because I thought it was inhumane, but after some careful consideration, if I'm casting magic, often it will be to kill, so it shouldn't matter if the wound can be healed or not. If I do it right, they should be dead. It's not like I'll be tossing away regular magic either, and I can put all the tomes I want in the astral plane, so it doesn't hurt to learn.

**April 11th**

Today, Olivia had her first shift on chef duty. She made some sort of stew that I couldn't identify, which was weird, because I usually can tell exactly what I'm eating. I guess it must be Feroxi cuisine or something. I saw that many of the shepherds didn't like it too much, but I was, along with Gregor, one of the few that actually thought it tasted good. Well, at least good for a budget of 500 gold.

**{Insert: April 11th}**

Olivia made her way to Gregor with a bowl of stew in her hands.

"Um… excuse me…" she mumbled. "Gregor? I have your dinner if you're hungry."

Gregor looked up at her. "Gregor is very big man, yes?" he asked. "And big man is always hungry!" he looked at the bowl of food in Olivia's hands. "So it is your turn to make with the cooking, eh?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes. It's my first time, so if you don't like it, just let me know."

"Hmmm…." Gregor took the bowl of food from Olivia. "Gregor shall sample and give report." he took a slurp of the stew.

"Well?" Olivia asked him nervously.

"This is the tastiest liver stew Gregor have in his whole life!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, you recognize it?" Olivia asked, quite relieved. "Not many people outside of Regna Ferox recognize it… or like it for that matter."

Gregor smiled. "Gregor is sellsword, yes? Travel to many places, eat much of the food. That remind Gregor." At this, he pulled out a small pouch. "This is Gregor's secret spice! Here… Gregor put some in stew." he did just that.

"Have a taste!" Gregor offered. Olivia accepted, and took a spoonful.

"Omigosh!" she exclaimed. "It tastes at least twice as good! And you only put in a tiny amount!"

Gregor laughed. "Gregor's spice can turn bowl of gruel into feast fit for king!"

"It's amazing what a tiny pinch of spice can do to a meal… would you share some with me, pleeease?" Olivia begged.

"Many regrets." Gregor said sadly. "But Gregor is out of spice. He can make more, but it take time, yes?"

"Perhaps I can help?" Olivia offered. "I could gather ingredients for you, or something?"

Gregor laughed again. "Yes! That is the good idea! Gregor is happy for the help."

**April 16th**

I was surprised today to see Lissa with an axe in her hands today. She was with Libra. I ended up asking her, and she said that she wanted to learn how to use weapons so that she wasn't limited to only healing wounded soldiers. I guess she saw how Libra was able to both fight and heal, and aspired to be something like him. It will probably take her some time, but eventually, she'll get used to it I think.

Libra is also a good teacher. I'd be a lot more worried if it were Vaike, even though he calls himself Teach.

**April 20th**

Olivia decided to pick up swordplay today. I was chatting with Lon'qu when she approached him and asked if he'll teach her how to fight with a sword. I think she took notice of Lissa learning how to use an axe, and Maribelle learning to cast. I know she's always beating herself down about not being able to contribute much in a fight, and I think a sword is a pretty decent choice of a weapon for her. She'd be able to make use of her ability to move quickly.

What's strange to me is that Lon'qu didn't seem to have much of an issue dealing with her. I think it may have to do with the fact that they must've known each other at least a little bit back in Regna Ferox.

Once she gets better, I think it will be a huge asset for us.

**April 23rd**

Tharja got her hands on a cauldron today. It wasn't a large cauldron, but still a cauldron nonetheless. Chrom forbid her from keeping it in her room, since it would be a fire hazard. Instead, she put it in the shed, which means there's more room around it, and less likely for her to burn the entire place down. She's been spending a lot of time there recently.

Libra went to go check on her today, and upon returning, he notified us that she doesn't have ill intentions. Chrom decided that what she does in her free time is up to her, and so he didn't press the issue. I do wonder what she's up to, but I'm concerned she doesn't want people messing around with her too much.

**{Insert: April 23rd}**

"Tharja, are you here?" Libra asked as he walked into the shepherd's shed. The place was mostly empty, and no one really goes there, so Tharja had the entire place to her own.

"What do you want?" The dark mage was busy adding ingredients to her new cauldron, not even bothering to look up.

"I was just wondering what you were up to, is all." Libra told her.

"I'm trying to create a potion that changes memories." she finally decided to tell him.

"Really? Is that even possible?" Libra asked in surprise.

"Well, my goal is to create a potion that can recover memories, but that's a bit too difficult. So this is what I'm starting with. I figured I could go from there." Tharja muttered, continuing to work.

"I… see. Are you doing it for Robin, by any chance?" Libra finally asked.

"Everything I do is for Robin." Tharja replied immediately.

"That's admirable, I guess. I know that you supposedly served him before he lost his memories." Libra conceded. "So how will you know if it's a success?"

Tharja turned around. "Well, I'd need to test it on someone. Cast a hex on them and see what happens."

Libra nodded. "Good. Then I'd like to volunteer to be the test subject."

"Oh?" Tharja said in mock surprise. "A priest wants to make a sacrifice for the greater good? Shocker."

Libra closed his eyes. "I'm afraid my reasons are actually largely selfish."

"Sure, whatever." Tharja muttered, clearly not caring. "Just don't blame me if it goes horribly wrong. Accidents always happen when you're dabbling with hexes."

"I shall prepare for the worst, and hope for the best then." Libra said. "I'll leave you to it then."

**April 30th**

Today I saw Maribelle angrily huff away from Gaius. I'm not sure what was up, but she seemed extremely upset. Maybe I can bribe Gaius to tell me with some sweets. That usually works.

Regardless, she has always seemed to have something against the thief. I'm not sure what, but it might have something to do with Gaius' past as a criminal, I'm not certain about that though.

Perhaps I feel for Gaius because I'm in a similar position. Except it seems others know of Gaius' past, whereas no one really knows mine. I wonder if everyone would be as friendly if they knew about my past as a Plegian. I'm starting to see why Tharja refuses to tell me about my past. Maybe there is something there that would put my current wellbeing into jeopardy.

**{Insert: April 30th}**

"Gaius!" Maribelle angrily walked towards the thief.

"Hmm?" Gaius turned around to see her come at him.

"When we were getting rid of that bandit problem at Zhanbridge, I saw you hovering around me like a persistant fly. It disturbs me to see your leering visage." she told him bluntly.

"I'm sorry, Twinkles." Gaius said. "I thought I would try and atone for what I did. Then maybe-"

"Then maybe I would FORGIVE you?" Maribelle exclaimed. "Then we would become good friends? You broke into the royal treasury under the intention of stealing from the realm. And then you did it AGAIN!"

"Look, I know what I did was wrong." Gaius said while gritting his teeth. "I feel lousy about it. Naga strike me down if I don't."

"You must be a stone idiot if you think I believe a word you say!" Maribelle continued. "Have you forgotten what happened the first time? You claimed my FATHER was behind it! My poor, decent, innocent father! He was hauled in front of the magistrate and almost put to death because of you!"

"Actually the thing about that is…" Gaius looked like he had something to say, before immediately changing his mind. "Look, I may have claimed some things I'm not proud of to avoid the noose. But I'm a changed man now. Let me prove it to you!"

"Enough!" Maribelle exclaimed. "If I wanted a dog and pony show, I'd attend a carnival." She angrily huffed away.

"Look Twinkles, no tricks this time. I speak from the heart on this one." Gaius muttered to her retreating figure. "Oh well." he turned back to what he'd been doing, and popped a sucker into his mouth.

**May 4th**

Today was Chrom and Sumia's big day. They held their marriage at the castle, and the citizens of Ylisstol were all invited. Libra was the wedding officiant, and I was Chrom's best man. I told Cordelia she didn't have to go if she really didn't want to. I could've made up an excuse for her easily. However, she insisted it was something she needed to go to, and to her credit, she held it together for the entire time.

I was honestly surprised by how many of the Ylisseans attended this event. I guess they were pretty happy with what Chrom had done for them so far. I think Emmeryn would be proud of his accomplishments as well.

Regardless, Chrom and Sumia are married now. Sometimes they stay at the castle overnight together, and other times Chrom stays at the garrison with Sumia. You can clearly tell that they're happy with the way things are, both of them, which is a pretty good sign. Lissa keeps bugging them about getting her a niece or nephew, so who knows, perhaps we can expect a baby prince or princess in the near future.

**June 6th**

When we visited one of the eastern Ylissean villages today, there was a massive search and rescue for a young girl. Apparently the leader of the village's daughter went out to play today and didn't come back. Naturally, we helped out with the search. We eventually found the girl lost in the woods past the large field near the village. She was so relieved that she ran to her father crying. It's nice to be able to help the Ylissean civilians on things like that.

I saw Frederick conversing with Panne today. I've never actually seen Frederick seem nervous, but that's exactly what it looked like when he was talking to Panne. I wonder what that's about.

Come to think of it, he usually is pretty nervous when Panne is anywhere near him while we're in battle. I'm not sure what it might be, perhaps Frederick has a fear of animals or something. I really hope Panne doesn't take it as an insult.

**{Insert: June 6th} **

Frederick was participating in the search for a lost young girl. He made his way through the thickets of a large field. He turned his head, noticing something moving around in his peripheral vision.

"Is that her?" Frederick wondered to himself. He squinted his eyes. "That looks too big to be a little girl… Oh wait. That's just Panne, running around in her beast form." He instinctively moved his dominant hand to the sword attached to his hip. "Why is she charging at me?" as she began to draw closer, Frederick lost it. "BACK FOUL BEAST! BACK, LEST MY SWORD-"

When Panne came within ten feet of the Great Knight, she reverted to her human form. "F-finally! I was looking all over for you! We've found the girl, so we can stop searching now."

"Why'd you chase me down in beast form? I feared that you planned on eating me whole!" Frederick exclaimed.

"Running on four legs is much faster." Panne explained. "Did I scare you?"

"A knight knows no fear!" Frederick quickly came up with some eloquent bullshit. "That was more like surprise… or perhaps alarm."

"Lies!" Panne accused. "I hear your heart race even now! It's alright, you don't need to pretend for my sake. I'm quite used to fear and ignorance from your kind."

Seeing as his facade had been broken, Frederick quickly sought to right his wrong. "You mistake me, good lady. I hold no fear of the taguel. Behold: are we not conversing as equals?"

Panne cocked her head to one side. "Then why were you scared just now?"

"When I was but a young boy, I lived in a small village in the hills." Frederick explained. "One day I wandered into the forest, where I was set upon by a mountain wolf. My wounds were most grievous...many in the village doubted I would survive." he scratched his head sheepishly. "When you came running, you reminded me of the beast that attacked me and... I apologize, good lady. I did not mean to offend with my actions."

"I'm sorry, Frederick. I did not know." Panne apologized.

"It's fine. On the battlefield, the enemy is in front of me and I lose all fear." Frederick quickly said.

Panne laughed. "Spoken like a true warrior."

**July 12th**

Today I had another discussion with Chrom today. Once again, he'd been doing something risky, and I needed to show him what's what.

However, his reasoning actually caught me off guard, and some of what he said did make a lot of sense. Instead of lecturing him, I ended up getting my own eyes opened. I feel as if our friendship has reached another level after today.

**{Insert: July 12th}**

Robin walked up to Chrom in the dining hall right after lunch.

"I heard you've been going on some of the patrols with very few men recently." Robin said as he sat down next to him.

"Only for the immediate area." Chrom said defensively. "The longer trips warrant more people."

"You know what I'm about to say then, don't you?" Robin frowned.

Chrom rolled his eyes. "Yes I know. It's too risky… I need to be more careful… Thank you mother."

"If you understand Chrom, then why?" Robin asked.

"Look." Chrom said seriously. "I know there could be enemies lying in wait, trying to ambush me. But there also could be people out there that need my help. I can't ignore those in need."

"But that's why you can have other people go for you, right?" Robin continued arguing his point.

"Well, think about yourself." Chrom pointed at him. "Imagine it was just Frederick that found you that day. Would we have ever met?"

Robin thought about it for a moment. "Probably not." he conceded.

"You see?" Chrom said. "It's not just like you, but people like you. I know being out there exposes me to danger, and I haven't been the most careful. But it's a risk I'm willing to take in order to meet new people and forge new bonds."

"Bonds?" Robin questioned. "Between who?"

"You and me. Me and others." Chrom replied. "The villagers we've met… The world we've seen… Such bonds are the true strength of us. Without them, we're lost. Some may disagree, but that's the benefit of being the leader. I get to make the final call."

Robin shook his head. "It's hard to argue when you use me as an example, but at least let me come with you."

"Oh? For what reason?" Chrom asked.

Robin smiled. "Because I want to be with you when you find the next me, face down in a field. I wanna help you forge these bonds."

**September 15th**

I saw Sully and Stahl practicing together again today. However, unlike usual, Stahl was handily beating Sully in every round. I honestly don't think it's because Sully has gotten worse, but rather that Stahl has gotten a lot better.

Frederick was also observing them. He said that they had both improved quite immensely, and gave them each a master seal.

Sully has decided to pick up some heavier armor and learn how to use axes while Stahl decided that he'll pick up lances, something he'd always been meaning to do, but never got around to doing.

In the future, these two will be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

**{Insert: September 15th}**

Stahl knocked Sully off her horse with a strong blow of his practice sword. It was the fourth time in a row he'd beaten her today. Normally, he'd be too chivalrous do something like that, but Sully had made it clear that it'd be an insult if he held anything back whilst practicing with her.

"Oof!" Sully exclaimed, picking herself off the ground. "I'm gonna be feeling that one tomorrow! Hurts like a bitch!"

Stahl chuckled. "Stahl the Panther strikes again!" he gave Sully a goofy grin. "Still, I think I get what you were talking about. The right attitude makes the whole difference!"

Sully sighed. "Yeah… and everyone expects you to show me up someday."

"Huh?" Stahl wondered.

"It's OK, I'm used to it…" Sully lamented.

"Is everything alright?" Stahl asked in concern. "You're getting weird on me."

"It's just… everyone looks at me and they can only see a damn woman!" Sully angrily exclaimed.

"Um, Ok?" Stahl said quizzically. "Not sure what this is coming from, but if I implied-"

"Not you, dolt!" Sully interrupted. "You treat me as an equal, and I've always appreciated that. I just worry… what if you surpass me someday? Not a little bit, but by a damn lot. People won't think it's due to hard work or skill, they'll just see another damn man beating a woman."

"Now who's being wishy washy?" Stahl chuckled.

"Don't you dare lecture me, chump!" Sully angrily huffed. "I'll kick you right in the-"

Stahl laughed, interrupting her. "Now that's the Sully I know! A Bull in the making! Or is it a mewling sheep? Better go another round and find out!"

"Oh I'm so gonna hand you your lunch in a second!" Sully exclaimed as she remounted. "Come on, tough guy! Show me what you're made of!"

**October 2nd**

I saw Cordelia giving Gaius a haircut today. Recently, I've noticed that Gaius has been paying more attention to hygiene and general appearance. I wonder if Cordelia has anything to do with that. If you compare him right now to the old Gaius, you wouldn't even think it is the same person.

That actually reminds me. Cordelia seems to also be doing better recently. I still see her gazing longingly after Chrom once in a while, but for the most part, she seems to have gotten over it. She hasn't been avoiding Sumia either, and they two still get along very well. After all, they were, and I guess still, best friends.

Overall, I think it's a good sign that Cordelia seems to be getting along with Gaius. If I recall correctly, when she first became a shepherds, she had a strong dislike for him. This is an event that can be beneficial for all parties.

**{Insert: October 2nd}**

Cordelia was walking around the courtyard, trying to get her mind off of Chrom for what seemed like the tenth time that day. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" she asked herself, holding her head in her hands.

She sighed to herself and began to return to the garrison. On her way though, she spotted Gaius returning from visiting the streets of Ylisstol.

"Gaius!" she called. "Weren't you wearing that same outfit yesterday?"

Gaius made a face at her. "Yes, but it was CLEAN yesterday. One extra day won't hurt, will it?"

Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows. "And have you combed your hair?"

"Er… no." Gaius admitted. "But I DID dunk my head in a watering trough a couple of nights ago."

"Hmmm…." Cordelia thought for a moment. "It's beginning to get a little long. Let me trim your hair."

Gaius sighed. "I suppose I'm not getting out of this, am I? All right, do your worst. Have to look good for Chrom, or somethin' like that, right? Message received. I'll dress like a dandy so as to not make Chrom look bad."

Cordelia went off to fetch a pair of scissors. She immediately got to work cutting Gaius's hair.

"Would you be so kind as to cut off some more on the sides? I like 'em short." Gaius said as she worked.

"Already on it." Cordelia replied.

**December 31st**

Today is New Year's Eve. I was pretty excited, because it's the first New Year's Eve since I've become a shepherd, and since I lost my memories, for that matter. The shepherds voted on who would cook the New Year's eve dinner, and I won alongside Lissa, so the two of us were assigned to cook the feast tonight. To be honest, Sumia is probably a better cook than Lissa, but she was already cooking lunch, and so we didn't want her to have to make dinner as well. I'm not sure exactly how Lissa won, but there was a rumor circulating that she was trying to learn new things, and cooking was one of them. I guess everyone figured things will turn out OK as long as I'm one of the chefs, so they granted her wish by voting for her.

We ended up being able to afford some actual good food this time because Chrom decided that the New Year's feast should be special. I know Lissa is not the best chef, but arguably, most of the shepherds aren't either. And I'm quite confident in my own abilities, so I think we'll be OK.

The celebration was a massive success. Everyone kept complimenting us on how good the food tasted. Lissa had a proud smile on her face the entire time, and I felt extremely happy to have been appreciated as well.

**{Insert: December 31st}**

"Robin!? Where are you?" Lissa walked through the shepherd's garrison, looking for the tactician. "It's time to go food shopping!"

Robin walked out of his room in a hurry. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

"Hurry up! We won't time to get everything, otherwise!" Lissa huffed. "I've already gotten a horse and cart ready. C'mon, let's go!"

The two made their way into town. The weather was a little chilly, but there was no snow on the ground. After all, Ylisstol is a little too far south for snow usually. However, Lissa bundled up with a big coat. Unless you looked closely, you couldn't even recognize that she's the princess of the realm. Robin, not seeming to mind the cold, simply wore his regular cloak.

"What do you have in mind?" Lissa asked Robin when they've reached the market. "I know Chrom will complain if we don't have at least one gamey dish… but that doesn't mean I have to eat it!" she quickly added.

Robin shrugged. "I don't actually know. Usually, I just look around the market and buy whatever looks good. Then I make it into something that tastes phenomenal."

Lissa nodded. "Well I suppose that works. Let's take a look around the market then."

The two did just that. Some of the stands were selling cooked food as well.

"That smells good…" Lissa muttered as they passed a stand selling lamb kebabs. She thought she had whispered it quietly enough so that no one could hear it, but it still wasn't quiet enough for Robin to miss it. He quickly stopped the cart and walked up to the stand.

"Hey! I didn't mean-" Lissa began, but seeing as Robin was already digging out some money to pay, didn't press the issue. "Oh…. you just HAD to say something, didn't you, Lissa?" she scolded herself.

"Can I get one bunch please?" Robin told the vender, and handed over the money. The vendor handed over two bunches. "Uh… I just payed for one, sir." Robin told the man.

"You're a shepherd, right?" The man asked. "I thought I recognized you. They saved my village from some bandits about a month ago. Take the extra bunch on the house. One for you, and one for your lady friend." The man gestured at Lissa and winked.

Robin suppressed a chuckle. He gave the man a charismatic smile. "Thanks, it's greatly appreciated. And…" he quickly added. "I'm glad we were of service."

He returned to Lissa and handed her one bunch of kebabs. "Here you go, my treat."

Lissa gladly accepted the kebabs and began to eat one of them. "Thanks Robin, but we really shouldn't spend the money meant for the feast on this type of stuff…"

Robin laughed. "Of course not! That's from my own pocket."

"Oh…" Lissa murmured. "Thanks, Robin."

The two continued to wander around the market. Among other things, they settled on buying a whole lamb, a couple of pheasants, and a large amount of beef. Robin did most of the haggling, and Lissa couldn't help but appreciate just how charismatic Robin was. He was always able to tell exactly how low a merchant was willing to go, and so they ended up with far more food than if Lissa had gone shopping by herself.

They had already gone through most of the market, and their cart was beginning to fill up. "Well, should we start heading back?" Lissa asked, gazing at everything they had bought.

Robin shook his head. "Of course not! We still have some money left, and we haven't gone to buy herbs and spices!"

"Umm… aren't those kind of expensive?" Lissa asked. "Do we have enough left?"

Robin smiled. "Of course. Don't forget who's the one setting the prices!" The tactician pointed at himself and chuckled.

"Alright… if you say so." Lissa agreed.

Sure enough, they were able to buy a good amount of additives for their meal thanks to Robin's charisma.

"Do you use these often in your food?" Lissa asked, gesturing to the newly bought pouches that Robin had placed in their cart. They had began to make their way back to the garrison.

"Always." Robin replied. "Otherwise, the food doesn't taste half as good."

"That explains why everyone loves your food." Lissa said, seeming to reach a revelation. "But how do you afford it? It's not like you get this much money to spend on a normal day. Even with your haggling skills, I don't think it would be enough."

Robin smiled. "That's a secret. Something that only I will know."

Lissa pouted. "Fine. Be like that."

Once they got back to the garrison, it was already well into the afternoon. The pair immediately got to work making the food.

"So… uh… what exactly are we making? I haven't really done it like this before." Lissa asked the tactician. "Sumia usually gives me detailed instructions on how to make things."

Robin didn't mind. He gave Lissa the simpler tasks, such as chopping vegetables and preparing the meat. Lissa was also relieved that she didn't have to work with the variety of herbs and spices since she had no previous experience working with them.

Robin got to work making the sauces and dry rubbing some of the meats. They worked well into the afternoon, and some of the delectable aromas began to flood the dining hall as the food began to cook.

Some of the shepherds stopped by and just smelled the air as they walked by, giving the pair some compliments as they worked. Stahl even came and sat in the dining hall. His diligence proved to pay off, as Robin invited him to help them taste some of the food they were making in order to make sure they were of the best quality.

Soon, it was almost time for dinner. Unlike most meals, they've decided to place all the food on the tables, and eat in a buffet style. There was, among other things, roasted pheasant, braised herb and lemon lamb, ginger garlic beef, eggplant parmesan, grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, apple pie, peach pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, and many other delicacies.

Everyone eagerly filled up their plates and dug in. Robin and Lissa had made enough for everyone to have nearly twice as much as a normal meal, and yet it was still not enough to feed everyone.

The shepherds ate and drank and laughed. It was almost like a real family gathering.

**January 1st, Year 1**

Today is the first day of a new year, and also the first New Year's day I've had since I lost my memories. Nothing much happened today, as most of us were still sluggish from eating so much yesterday. However, I am looking forward to the entire new year I will be able to spend with the rest of the shepherds.

**February 18th, Year 1**

Today I saw Lissa sewing. Or at least, attempting to sew. Apparently she's really bad at it, but wants to learn how to do it in order to be more "lady-like." Chrom has told her multiple times before that she doesn't need to change anything about herself, but I guess Lissa has other things in mind. Regardless, she poked herself in her hands so often that she had to go find Maribelle to help heal her.

Gaius ended up helping her out today. The guy is surprisingly good at tasks requiring intense dexterity. I suppose that would make sense though, as having that trait helps him a lot as a thief. I guess he's still finding uses for his talents even after being reformed.

**April 20th, Year 1**

Today Sumia gave birth to her first child. Chrom discussed it with her, and they decided to name the baby Lucina, since she was the light of their life.

The child bears the Brand of the Exalt in her left eye. It does seem a bit weird, but her eye still seems to be functioning like normal. It's actually pretty fascinating if you observe it closely. Once you get used to it, it really makes baby Lucina kind of cute.

Sumia probably won't come to the garrison in the near future, in order to rest and nurse baby Lucina. Some of the shepherds won't be happy about, including Maribelle and Sully, who have been DYING to see the newborn. I should consider myself fortunate, because no one in the shepherds, aside from Frederick, Lissa and myself has had the chance to see her yet.

**July 3rd, Year 1**

Today Vaike and Chrom had a cooking contest. To my chagrin, they had me judge the winner. What's worse, they even tried to go out of their comfort zone to make a "fancy" dish. Vaike's was pretty bad by itself, but at least I could see the effort behind it. Well, sort of. Chrom's on the other hand, tasted absolutely atrocious. If he weren't my best friend, I would've shoved the rest of it down his gullet for daring to feed me something that disgusting. Of course, my comments to them were much more tame. After all, these two aren't known for being the best chefs at the garrison. I declared Vaike the winner, albeit reluctantly. Neither of them deserved to win, to be honest.

**October 19th, Year 1**

Today I saw Kellam playing hide and seek with Nowi. It was really humorous because Nowi kept running around, asking if anyone had seen Kellam. Of course, everyone had not seen him recently. I eventually got so curious to where Kellam was that I pulled out my Hekseer to track him. Turns out, Nowi had run by him several times as she looked, but had been unable to find him every time.

By the time they were done, it was already dark. I really have to hand it to Kellam, he has more endurance and self control than anyone I've seen. Had it been me, I would've coughed or something as Nowi ran by in order for the game to end. It's really nice for Kellam to play with Nowi though. Her joy is often contagious, but at some times, she also seems incredibly childish. Having a way to vent that childishness can be very important for someone like her.

**December 14th, Year 1**

Gaius decided to ask Virion for a few tips and pick up archery. He was talking to me earlier about not being able to do anything when we raided that bandit camp a couple weeks ago. He can really only use knives, which require him to get really close to his enemy. But if he could also shoot, he'll be useful even if enemies are far away.

I, for one, supported this wholeheartedly. Having more people capable of archery is really good for when our opponents have a lot of flying units they'll try to swarm us with. Even against brigands, he'll be able to stay far away from the edge of their axes, so why not? It's better than loitering around town, trying to get free candies from the shopkeepers. At least this way, he'll be doing something productive on his time off too.

**January 10th, Year 2**

Today, Sully and Stahl announced to us that they were going to get married. I think it was a shock for most of the shepherds, but I had been paying attention to them in the last several months, and they've been drawing closer and closer to one another. I think it's because they spend so much time together, even without meaning to, that they were able to become so close.

Anyways, everyone wished them well. I think this would work well for them in the future, since they fight together most of the time anyways.

**{Insert: January 10th, Year 2}**

Sully and Stahl were once again, training in a makeshift practice ring outside. Stahl, once again, knocked Sully off her mount.

"All right! Enough, I yield!" Sully panted. "Naga, Stahl, you're a damned beast today."

Stahl grinned. "It's all thanks to your help, Sully."

Sully shook her head. "No, I didn't make you strong, you were tough to begin with."

"So does this mark the end of Sully's reign of terror?" Stahl asked.

Sully frowned. "For today. But there's always tomorrow."

"I knew you weren't going to give up quietly." Stahl complemented. "You've always worked harder and aspired higher than anyone. You're amazing."

"Yeah, well, I never could've done it without you around." Sully admitted. "It's easy to keep on the path when you've got someone walking beside you. You're about the best training partner I've ever had."

"Um…" Stahl began nervously. "Well maybe I could become more than a training partner?" he pulled a ring out of his bag that he had on the ground at the edge of the ring. He walked back over to Sully and offered it to her.

"Wait… what are you… are you giving me a ring?" Sully asked him, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. It's a wedding ring." Stahl confirmed. "I'm still more Mouse than Panther most days. But with you at my side, I can become the man and knight I aspire to be. And I want to be there to spur you along, too." he said. "...Not that you need it." he added quickly.

Sully smirked. "That's a pretty bold offer, Mr. Mouse!"

"Yeah, I may look confident, but I'm about to soil my good pair of trousers." Stahl admitted. "If it weren't for you, I'd never be able to ask something like this. You're my courage, Sully."

"That's actually very sweet." Sully smiled. "I accept. We've got a long ways to go, but I'll have no other traveling companion. It's you and me to the end!" she took the ring from Stahl.

"Then here's to the new Bull and Panther!" Stahl declared. "C'mon, let's tell the others!"

"Hold on, don't get too excited. We should go clean up first. I don't know about you, but I'm still all sweaty from training." Sully reminded him.

"Yeah, you've got a point." Sully smiled sheepishly.

**March 6th, Year 2**

Tomorrow we're heading back towards the Feroxi border. Apparently there's more bandits popping up over there. I'm preparing just in case. I packed my Elthunder and Ruin tomes, and reviewed the topography of the region we'll be going to.

As for tonight, it's my turn to cook again, so I'll stop writing in order to go buy materials. Usually I don't write until I'm about to go to bed, but I guess I was just bored today. Not much to do after all. The action will be tomorrow. Time to go prepare another delicious meal. That's it for now.

**Class Changes:**

**Lissa: War Cleric**

**Virion: Sniper**

**Vaike: Berserker***

**Stahl: Paladin**

**Sully: Great Knight**

**Miriel: Sage**

**Kellam: General**

**Lon'qu: Swordmaster**

**Donnel: Hero**

**Ricken: Sage**

**Maribelle: Valkyrie**

**Gaius: Assassin**

**Cordelia: Falcon Knight**

**Gregor: Hero**

**Tharja: Sorcerer**

**Olivia: Myrmidon**


	19. Anna the Merchant

**Author's Notes:**

**I don't know how many people noticed or cared, but in the last chapter, I put that Vaike gets promoted into a Berserker. For those that didn't play the game, Fighters (Vaike's previous class) can only promote into Warriors or Heroes. I can kind of see Vaike being a Warrior, but I just can't see him be a Hero. I think Berserker suits his character much more, and I always second seal him in order for him to be able to become one. That's why in my story, he's a Berserker instead of the other two 'standard' choices.**

**That's about all for now, here's chapter 19:**

**Shepherd's Garrison:**

Robin was preparing to head towards bed. It had been a long day, and after cooking and cleaning for the entire camp, he was ready to call it a night. He slowly made his way to the library, and flopped onto his bed.

He knew that he couldn't go to bed just yet, as he had go clean himself up first. However, it can wait just a few moments, he decided as he blissfully stretched out on top of his mattress.

His relaxation was interrupted by a small vibration from inside his cloak.

"Hmm?" Robin wondered aloud. He pulled out his Hekseer, the item that no doubt was the culprit. "Why's this thing on?"

He quickly checked it. Usually, there's nothing wrong, but since it was acting weird, he may as well. There were a bunch of blue icons clumped together at the center of the displayed map. "Nothing out of the usual..." Robin mused to himself. As the display began to spread out further and further away, Robin blanched. There were two blue icons a few blocks away surrounded by several red ones. He looked closer, and found that the two shepherds were Lissa and Lon'qu. The vibration seemed to be caused by Lon'qu taking taking a hit.

"Not good!" Robin exclaimed. He immediately bolted for the exit, seeming to have forgotten just how exhausted he was.

**Moments Earlier…**

Lissa decided she wanted to take a walk. Something about the nighttime air was very comforting for her. Lon'qu, being her assigned guard, obviously tagged along. They started walking around the streets of Ylisstol. The moon was out, shining bright overhead, and from the buildings, some light leaked out from the windows, illuminating the streets some more.

"Hey!" Lissa exclaimed. "It's pretty dark outside… I wouldn't want to fall and hurt myself… can we hold hands?"

"No." Lon'qu immediately replied.

"Honestly, I thought you'd be used to me by now." Lissa pouted. "And you're always so serious! Couldn't hurt to see you smile once in a-" She was suddenly interrupted by Lon'qu. "Shh!"

"That is SO rude!" Lissa huffed. "I was only trying to-" But once again, Lon'qu interjected before Lissa could finish her thought. "Get behind me, quickly! There's… Hngh!" he grunted, as an arrow flew out from the shadows and into his arm.

"N-no! Lon'qu, you're hurt!" Lissa exclaimed. "P-please… you can't… don't die!"

Lon'qu grunted as he immediately pulled out the arrow. "It's just one arrow, it can't kill me by itself."

"Well said, dog of the blue blood." A voice called to them. Lon'qu and Lissa looked up to see seven figures approaching them from all directions. An eighth figure stood on a rooftop with a bow, being illuminated only by the light of the moon. "How many do you think it'll take before he dies?" he voice asked.

"I wager we've found your assassins." Lon'qu muttered. "Stay behind me." he drew his killing edge.

"Shut it, dog!" the leader of the assassins yelled. "Move one muscle and the girl dies. You'll surrender immediately and hand her over to us if you want to live."

Lon'qu spat on the ground. "I don't take orders from dalcops."

"Dal what?" came a confused reply.

"My point exactly. Maybe you'd be better off in life if you weren't so stupid." Lon'qu retorted. To be honest, he didn't exactly know what it meant either, he'd just heard Miriel use it as an insult, and Miriel couldn't be wrong about such things.

"Why you-" the same guy yelled as he charged Lon'qu with an axe. Lon'qu immediately slashed his killing edge out, severing the guy's head from his body. Suddenly, another arrow flew through the air, hitting Lon'qu in the thigh. Lon'qu grunted again in pain.

"Control your dog, missy." The first assassin told Lissa. "There's plenty more where that came from. One more twitch, and the next one's going for your head." he nudged one of the guys next to him. "Get that princess bitch over here." The man obliged and began to walk towards Lissa with an axe in his hand.

Lon'qu looked defeated. There's nothing much he can do when these assassins have a sniper aimed at him. He gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice in his head. {Pull that arrow out, Lissa, tell them you'll go with them if they let you heal Lon'qu first. Trust me on this one.}

"R-robin?" Lon'qu muttered under his breath, while Lissa's eyes bulged slightly, but she didn't say anything.

"W-wait!" Lissa exclaimed. "I'll go with you guys! Just please, let me heal my friend here first. Then I'll go with you guys, I promise!" "No! You can't do that!" Lon'qu mock protested convincingly. "Please, I don't want them to hurt you anymore!" Lissa wiped away a fake tear from her eyes.

"Alright. Butch, stand over them. Bring your axe down if they try anything. Clarence has her bow trained on them as well." The man sent over to them grunted in agreement.

Lissa immediately began to treat Lon'qu's wounds. {Alright, listen to me. Even if she's not done healing you, Lon'qu, I still need you to be able to fight. On three, turn and kill that axeman standing over you. Don't think, just do.}

Lon'qu silently agreed. Robin counted to three, and Lon'qu immediately flashed his killing edge out, killing the axe man before he could bring his axe down on himself or Lissa. At this point, a cloud had moved slightly in front of the moon, causing parts of the town to suddenly be shrouded in blackness.

"Alright you ungrateful bastard, fire!" the leader roared. Another arrow flew through the air, but this time, it hit one of the assassins straight through the skull, instantly killing him.

"What the-?" the leader voiced out what everyone, including Lissa and Lon'qu had been thinking. Everyone turned around to the silhouette of the archer assassin, only to find not one, but two figures standing upon the roof. The silhouette's heads turned, and they saw four gleaming lights were the pair's eyes should be. It cast a red glow that sent a shiver through everyone's body. The cloud that once blocked the moon moved away, and Lissa pointed up at the roof once again. "Look!" she shrieked.

Lon'qu, as well as the others snuck a peek at what Lissa had been pointing at. They saw a cloaked figure standing besides the archer, Clarence. A long blade was protruding from the girl's stomach. However, the archer didn't seem to be dead. She pulled back her bow and fired another arrow and shot another one of her supposed allies. "What? What did you monsters do to Clarence?" the leader of the assassins exclaimed, with an obvious tremble in his voice.

{Don't just stare at me, Lon'qu. Kill them!} Robin urged. Lon'qu didn't need to be told twice. Without needing to worry about Lissa getting shot, Lon'qu easily slashed apart the remaining assassins. Once he saw that Lon'qu was finished. Robin pulled his weapon out of the corpse of the archer, immediately causing the glow from the archer's eyes to fade. The body fell off the roof and hit the ground with a thud.

Robin jumped off the roof himself and made his way over to them.

"What the hell was that?" Lon'qu asked him.

"Oh that?" Robin shrugged. "It's something new I figured out how to do. Apparently, instead of harvesting a target's quintessence, I can force it to stay in the dead body and follow my commands. As a result, it's as if the person becomes my puppet."

"That's… pretty messed up." Lissa admitted.

"Maybe." Robin smirked. "I AM a necromancer now, after all. However, I've found that it has some pretty annoying restrictions that make it difficult to make use of. For instance, I have to keep my blade lodged inside the target, or I'll lose control of them." he shrugged. "Makes it difficult to make use of in a full blown battle, because I wouldn't be able to use my scythe while the puppet fights for me."

Lon'qu shook his head. "You used to be Plegian? I get the feeling that if you were actually on their side, the war against Gangrel might not have ended in our favor."

"Anyways…" Robin changed the subject. "It's really late, and he DO still have to march north tomorrow. Let's head back to the garrison to rest."

Lissa lowered her head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have come out this late in the first place."

Lon'qu shook his head. "No, you are wrong. Your safety wasn't supposed to be your concern. It is my job, and for my blunders, you almost got killed."

"But-" Lissa protested, but Robin spoke up to. "Look, let's not think about the what ifs, and what could have happened. The bottom line is, you both got out safe. I say we count our blessings, and rest easy for the night. Crying over it won't change a thing. If anything, it will only stress you out. Just be a little more cautious in the future is all."

"Thank you Robin. Thank you Lon'qu." Lissa murmured.

Lon'qu smirked. "You are a very smart man. I can see why you're the one giving instructions in battle."

Robin laughed. "I do try my best."

The three of them made their way back to the garrison, and each went to their respective rooms for some well deserved rest.

**The next morning…**

Robin woke up, and had breakfast with the rest of the shepherds at the garrison. Everyone's spirits were high, even Lissa and Lon'qu, who had seemingly forgotten about the events that had transpired the night before.

After breakfast, everyone had a small amount of time to prepare for the trip they will be taking today. There's been repeated reports of bandit raids to the North, near the Feroxi border lately. From the looks of it, it seems to have all been caused by the same group of bandits. Because of this, Chrom has decided that he'll be personally leading the shepherds to exterminate this group causing trouble for the locals.

The march there was pretty similar to most of their marches. Sully and Stahl were talking and laughing as they rode alongside the rest of the shepherds. Robin smiled. The two had recently gotten married, and from the looks of it, they never regretted that decision for one moment. And seeing the two of them that happy together made Robin, to a certain degree, happy as well.

Shockingly, Robin noticed that Lon'qu still hovered close to Lissa protectively. Technically speaking, the assassin plot on Lissa that had caused him to be assigned her personal guard had already been foiled, so he didn't have any obligation to keep guarding her. Under Lon'qu's normal personality, he would've tried to stay far away from Lissa, or any other woman for that matter.

'So why hasn't he pushed Lissa away like he does to everyone else?' Robin wondered to himself. He closed his eyes and smiled. He had an inkling of why Lon'qu might do that, but he kept it to himself.

He was jerked back to reality when he heard Chrom tell everyone to stop. A merchant was sitting on the side of the road, murmuring to himself. "Oh… that poor girl…"

"What's wrong?" Chrom asked.

"Oh sire!" the man said, recognizing Chrom immediately. "Please! Help her! A young merchant girl is being set upon by bandits!"

"We're on our way." Chrom nodded with conviction. "Do you know where you last saw her?"

"Y-yes sire! She went off to raid the bandit's camp, over yonder maybe one or two miles." He gestured to the northwest. "Said she was stealing back what they took from th' villagers they killed 'bout three days ago."

"Many thanks." Chrom told the merchant before turning to his troops. "Shepherds! We march!"

Everyone began to make haste for the bandit camp.

By the time they got close, Chrom and the shepherds could hear the sound of metal clashing on metal up ahead. "Robin, what do you make of that?" Chrom asked him.

Robin checked his Hekseer. "There seems to be a lone trickster up ahead. She seems to be surrounded by many opponents, all with bad intentions it seems." He gestured to the plethora of red icons on the map.

"Shepherds! We are to assist the female trickster. She must be the merchant we were told about." Chrom instructed. "What's the plan?" he asked, turning to Robin again.

Robin furrowed his brow. "There is a high probability that these are the bandits we were coming out to eradicate in the first place. If we can save the girl and kill all the bandits at the same time, that would hitting two birds with one stone."

{Shepherds, we are going to separate into three groups, one for each path. Gaius, Frederick, Cordelia, Panne, Lon'qu, Olivia, Lissa, go to the west side and take out the bandits you find on that side. Before you leave, Gaius, come find me for some special instructions. Vaike, Stahl, Sully, Ricken, Donnel, Kellam and Maribelle, you take the eastern side, and eliminate those bandits. That leaves, myself, Chrom, Sumia, Virion, Miriel, Tharja, Libra, Gregor and Nowi for the middle path. It's the one that leads straight to the girl, and we're going to help her. All except Gaius are dismissed!}

The shepherds all went off to complete their assigned tasks. Gaius stayed behind and walked over to Robin. "So, Bubbles, what are these special instructions you have for me?" he asked the tactician as he popped a piece of candy into his mouth. Robin leaned to him and whispered something in his ear. A smile began to slowly form on Gaius's face. "You sure know how to use talent, Bubbles. Consider it done." The thief ran towards the west and tried to catch up with the rest of the shepherds. Robin did the same to the middle path.

By the time Robin caught up with Chrom and the others, they could see the female merchant fighting a group of bandits in a clearing. Robin's eyes locked onto a berserker that seemed to be calling the shots for the bandits. Chrom noticed the same guy as well. "Didn't we fight that guy before?" he asked his tactician. "That's exactly what I was thinking." Robin replied. "I dunno, it could be someone else too. We'll have time to figure that out later. First, the girl!" With that, Robin's group began to close in on the bandits.

As they drew near, they saw the berserker carry away the limp body of the girl.

"Blast! We're too late!" Chrom exclaimed with regret.

"Perhaps not." Robin calmly replied. "First, let's slaughter these bandits. Then we'll find the girl. If she's actually dead, I highly doubt they'd carry her away like that."

"Right." Chrom gritted his teeth. "Shepherds, we fight to kill! With me!"

Together, they charged and engaged the bandits.

**With the girl, moments earlier...**

"You there!" The berserker called to the girl. "You and I have business, and I'm here to settle the debt! No one can get away with killing Vincent's brother! Victor's death will be avenged!"

"Oh dear," The girl replied. "Have we met before?"

Vincent shook his head. "Playing dumb won't save you, girly! The gold you net from the slavers will build Victor the finest grave in all the land!"

The girl looked offended. "Careful dear," she warned. "Prices aren't the only thing I can cut in half." she raised her killing edge threateningly.

Vincent grunted. "Alright you monkeys! Take her down, but don't you dare put as much as a scratch on her pretty face!"

The bandits began to circle in on the girl.

"Ooh… pretty, huh?" the girl chuckled nervously. "I'm flattered."

Suddenly, a bandit closed in on her, charging with his axe held high.

"Sold!" the girl shouted as she slashed out her killing edge, killing the man in his tracks. Another bandit charged, and was met with the same fate.

"Monkeys! All of you!" Vincent shouted. "Charge her, all at once!"

"Now now," the girl began. "I'm more than OK with challenging one at a time. It's the civil thing to to do." her arms began to tremble in fear.

The bandits chose to listen to their leader as opposed to their opponent. They all dogpiled onto her. The girl swung her sword out in desperation, slashing a couple unlucky brigands to death, but she was knocked to the ground, and her sword pried away from her hands.

"Get off of me!" the girl cried in part anger, part fear.

"Yea boys, show some respect!" Vincent laughed as he sauntered over. The bandits got off of her, and Vincent grabbed the girl by her ponytail, forcibly lifting her onto her feet.

"Ow, ow! Don't touch me!" the girl exclaimed.

"Oh, don't worry, we won't be the ones doin' the touchin' girly." Vincent informed her creepily. "That's up to whoever you get sold to. I'm sure there's plenty o' men who could… make use of such a pretty one like yourself." he laughed at himself.

The girl's eyes went wide, the implications slowly starting to sink in. "N-no… p-please… no… I didn't do… anything…" she whimpered.

Vincent didn't care or take pity. He knocked the girl out with a blow to the back of her head, and threw her limp body over his shoulder. "G'job, boys!" was the last thing he shouted before he carried the girl away.

**With the shepherds…**

Chrom slashed through an enemy myrmidon. He was furious at not being able to get to the girl in time, and it showed through his fighting. Nearby, Gregor cut down a brigand with his steel axe. Libra was keeping an enemy myrmidon busy, as his attacks were a bit too slow to hit the nimble swordfighter. However, he didn't need to, as Tharja blasted the man to death with her Nosferatu tome. In the air, Sumia was trading magic spells with an enemy mage. Sumia was fairly inexperienced with fighting with magic, and evidently, her opponent was too, so they didn't end up causing much damage to one another. However, it gave Robin enough time to run in and cut down the distracted mage. Robin turned, and saw Nowi carrying Miriel through the air as the bespectacled mage threw Elfire spells at an enemy mage.

Seeing as everything was working for his group, Robin checked his Hekseer. The group on the east side seemed to be having a pretty easy time. Stahl, Sully, Donnel, Kellam and Vaike hit the bandits like a truck, knockin aside anyone that dared challenge them. The ones that managed to survive the initial blow was quickly torn to pieces by the magic spells from Maribelle and Ricken.

On the western side, the story was pretty much the same. The charge was led by Frederick, Panne, Cordelia and Lon'qu. Gaius, Lissa and Olivia just picked off any stragglers. The only hitch in the plan was when Panne had to take an arrow meant for Lon'qu. Lissa, however, immediately went over to heal the resilient rabbit. Robin smiled, when he saw Gaius take a short detour once in a while as they moved further and further into the bandit's stronghold.

"C'mon, they're all dead here." Robin heard Chrom call. "Let's move further in!" Robin nodded, and his group began to advance as well.

As the shepherds moved further into the stronghold, they could tell that there were more and more bandits, and the ones they were fighter were also clearly better trained. They began to inch forwards slower, as they repelled the waves of bodies being thrown at them.

Robin could hear the fighting to his left and right, as the three paths seemed to all be coming together. Robin suddenly heard a cry of pain from Sully and a shout of alarm from Stahl. He quickly killed off the opponent he was fighting in order to check his Hekseer. From the looks of it, Sully had been hit by a magic spell that might have originally been aimed at her partner.

It didn't look like it would kill her, and Maribelle was rushing over to heal her, so Robin breathed a sigh of relief and put away his Hekseer to rejoin the battle with Chrom and the others.

Pretty soon, Chrom's group began to fight some clearly well trained bandits. {This looks like they might be their most elite fighters.} Robin told his group through the Hekseer. {Do you think you can handle them? I think I can sneak by to look for that berserker or the girl. Call if you need anything!}

{Alright, no problem. We got it. Good idea.} he heard Chrom reply. "Huh?" his opponent wondered as they locked swords. To the bandit, it looked like Chrom was randomly talking to himself in the middle of their fight.

Robin maneuvered past the bandits and saw the figure of the berserker move out from one of the secluded buildings up ahead. If Robin didn't know where to look, he wouldn't have thought that there was a shack there in the first place. Robin ran up to meet him.

"Y-you!" the berserker exclaimed when he saw Robin. "You were one of the ones that killed Victor!" he drew a silver axe. "Looks like you're here to save your little friend then. I guess I've no choice but to kill you."

"Good luck with that one!" Robin charged with his scythe. He swung his blade around, but Vincent easily knocked the weapon aside with a swing of his own. Robin backed up, and tried again, only to receive the same results.

"Ha! Is this all you've got? You must've taken Victor by surprise or something if you guys managed to kill him somehow." Vincent taunted. "C'mon flea, daddy Vincent has an axe just for you… or your skull."

Robin snorted. "That's mighty confident of you." he replied. "Especially since I haven't pulled out all of my tricks yet." At this, he reached into the air to his right, and a dagger, gifted to him by Olivia, materialized.

The berserker guffawed when he saw Robin's actions. "You couldn't get close enough with that farm tool, what do you hope to accomplish with that tiny weapon?"

Robin grinned, knowing his opponent doesn't understand what he is capable of doing. "Let me show you." he said. Robin used the dagger and made a small cut across the back of his left hand. The wound turned red as blood began to seep out.

"What the fuck?" Vincent wondered aloud. "You a masochist or somethin'?" he was about to laugh at Robin once again, but froze when he saw terrifying new expression on Robin's face. His eyes were glowing reddish purple, and his grin seemingly turned Vincent's blood to ice.

Robin charged once again at the berserker. However, when Vincent moved to swing his axe and knock aside the scythe like he did before, Robin suddenly changed direction midswing at an unfathomable speed. Not only did he dodge the swing completely, he shifted so that he ended up behind the berserker. Robin swung his scythe upwards, severing the arm holding the axe from Vincent's body.

Vincent cried out in pain. He fell onto his knees as he felt his strength beginning to leave him. He suddenly found himself in even more pain, and when he looked down, he saw the blade of Robin's scythe appearing out of his stomach. Blood spurted out from the wound, forming a puddle in front of him.

"I… see your face… Victor…." Vincent said, as he gazed longingly at the puddle. "N-no wait… that's… me…" with that, Vincent fell over, dead.

"Well, that's that." Robin said as he wiped his weapon off and put it back in the astral plane. "Let me just confirm…" he dug out the Hekseer. "Yup! The girl is being held in that building." Robin immediately shut down his Hekseer, and ran towards the building he saw Vincent appear from.

When he entered the building, he saw the girl in a corner. Her arms were tied behind her back, and her legs were bound together as well. Her mouth was gagged by a towel. She had visible bruises all over her, and a black eye as well.

Robin immediately went over and began to cut the ropes binding the girl. The girl, being disturbed, regained consciousness. Her eyes widened when she saw Robin. "MMMNPH MMMMGH!" she protested through her gag.

"Oh, you're awake, let me get that for you." Robin said as he stopped cutting the ropes and reached to remove the towel from the girl's mouth.

"P-please!" the girl begged as soon as she could talk again. "Help me! I'm not for sale! I don't know what those bandits told you, but they kidnapped me!" the girl began to sob. "Please… help me… Let me go..."

"That's what I'm here for." Robin told her. "Stay still. I don't want to accidentally cut you while trying to remove these ropes."

"R-really?" the girl asked, not willing to believe him.

"Yup." Robin confirmed. "I killed that berserker just now. The one that wouldn't shut up about Victor or something."

That was the confirmation the girl needed to hear. As soon as her hands were free, she leapt at Robin in a hug, and began to cry some more.

"He… he did so many things to me… he knocked me out, and I was later slapped awake by him. He said I was responsible for killing his brother, and beat me until I was unconscious." The girl sobbed. "And he was going to sell me to some slavers, who'd no doubt do even worse to me."

"Well…" Robin began. "Wait. What should I call you?"

The girl sniffled. "Anna. My name is Anna."

Robin smiled. "Well, Anna, you're safe now. Let me take a look at your wounds."

Robin placed his hands over Anna's bruises, and one by one, they began to disappear, along with the pain.

"H-how are you doing that? You're not using a staff…" Anna looked at him in wonder.

Robin chuckled. "Trade secret. You're a merchant, so you should understand. Let's just say our berserker friend is contributing to this."

Anna nodded, and didn't ask anything else.

When he was finished, Robin stood up. He offered Anna a hand. "Shall we? The others should be done by now. You're free as soon as we cleanse this place of bandits." Anna wiped away the rest of her tears and gladly accepted Robin's hand.

The two made their way out of the building, towards the shepherds that were already gathered.

"Chrom!" Robin called as he waved to the rest of the shepherds. When they shepherds saw him, they hollered and waved back at him. Robin thought he saw a couple of them breathe a sigh of relief.

As he drew closer, he saw that Sully, Vaike and Gregor were being looked after by the healers over the wounds they had received. However, it looked like everyone had made it out in one piece.

"We tried to call you, but there was no response. And when we couldn't find you or that berserker, well, we feared the worst." Chrom explained to him.

Robin scratched his head sheepishly. "Yea, after I killed him, I completely shut down my Hekseer, so that's why I didn't hear you." he admitted. "That was actually pretty foolish of me. It's my mistake." he apologized.

"Anyways…" Robin changed the subject. "Here's the merchant girl." he gestured to Anna.

Anna bowed when she saw them. "Thank you all for rescuing me. My name is Anna, some call me the Secret Seller."

"I know." Chrom said. "We've met before. I remember you."

"Oh?" Anna seemed surprised. "I seem to be drawing a blank. I think I would've remembered a group like yours for sure if we had met before…"

"Huh?" it was Chrom's turn to be surprised. "Maybe it's my mistake. I thought you… wait what am I saying? I KNOW we helped you. I'm sure of it!"

Anna giggled. "Oh, you must have met one of my older sisters then!"

"Sisters?" Chrom asked. "Naga, you look identical."

"I'd buy it, Blue." Gaius said as he walked up to the rest of the shepherds. "Look at her. We helped her two years ago, and yet she seems to look younger."

"Just where did you run off to?" Cordelia scolded him, before turning back to the situation at hand. "Although Gaius does make a point. The one we helped did look much older, even if their faces seem extremely similar."

"And you all have the same name?" Chrom pressed.

"Yes, actually," Anna admitted. "That's actually part of the secret."

Chrom shook his head. "Your family gatherings must be chaotic then."

Anna giggled again. "True, but aren't everyone's? 'Sides, it's pretty nice being the family baby. Everyone treats you well." She looked deep in thought. "I can't just walk away from you all after you've helped TWO of us. My life could very well have been forfeited if you haven't showed up after all. Let me come along and aid you all in return. Please? I can look after everyone's weapons, and be useful buying and selling things… I'm also not too shabby in a fight. I'll make sure you'll never make a loss with me in tow."

Chrom smiled. "Sure. Welcome to the shepherds."

"Yes!" Anna did a fist pump, and snuck a look at Robin, who was smiling at her. "I'll make sure it's worth your time. All of your times." she added.

As the shepherds made their way back towards the main trails, Robin approached Gaius. "Did you get it all?"

Gaius pulled the sucker out of his mouth. "Don't worry about it, Bubbles! When you give Gaius such a simple task like that, you can always count on him! I've hidden all the loot at the fork of the roads. We can retrieve it as soon as we get there."

"So THAT'S where you ran off to!" Cordelia huffed, piecing together what the two had been talking about. "I knew there was something wrong about you during that battle. Always leaving for a moment at a time. You were no doubt trying to line your own pockets with their goods!" she then turned to Robin. "And I can't believe you either! You're encouraging him to steal and plunder!"

Robin held up a hand. "Calm down, Cordelia. These are bandits, not civilians. They probably stole these things from the very people we're trying to protect. I just had Gaius retrieve them so we can return them. And the weapons that can't be returned, we can either sell them or use them in a fight in the future."

Cordelia calmed down after thinking about it for a bit. "I guess… you're right." she finally admitted. "Sorry, I kind of snapped there."

"Don't worry about it, mother!" Gaius said. "Truth be told, cracking open chests was my favorite part of my last job! I'm just glad I got another chance to do it. This time for the right reasons."

"Oh?" Robin wondered, severely intrigued. "What about it was so fun?"

Gaius sighed. "Well, the feeling of not knowing what's in a chest… that feeling is so thrilling. You know you are about to get something good, otherwise no one would lock it up in an old chest, but you don't know what it is. The feeling of seeing what's inside… it's addicting!"

At this point, they've reached the place where Gaius had hidden all the goods he'd taken from the bandits. Robin told everyone to stop, which surprised everyone, including Chrom. They were even more surprised as Gaius removed a bunch of dirt that was covering a hole in the ground with many goodies inside. As Gaius pulled everything out, Robin explained that they'd retrieved all of it from the bandits during that fight, and they were going to try and redistribute what they can back to the civilians.

Chrom nodded, and applauded Robin and Gaius's efforts. Everyone helped carry an item or two, and began to march. Eventually, they reached the place in the road where Anna had left her cart to go chasing after the bandits. She was enthusiastically able to take the extra load off everyone's hands, and continued to follow the shepherds.

It was already getting late, so instead of marching back to Ylisstol immediately, the shepherds decided to make camp just outside a nearby village for the evening.

**Anna: HP: 70% Str: 40% Mag: 65% Skl: 60% Spd: 60% Lck: 75% Def: 30% Res: 45%**

**Age: 18**

**Class: Trickster**


	20. The Seacomers

**Author's Notes:**

**The geography of Valm is a bit different in my story, partly because it fits my story better, and partly because it doesn't make sense for it to be the smallest nation in Valm in the first place. I don't think too many people will have problems with it, as it doesn't make too big of an impact.**

**Just outside of Peaceful Village, Ylisse…**

The shepherds had just gotten rid of some local bandits and recruited a new member, Anna. They set up a camp outside of Peaceful Village, and were about to take it easy for the night. Chrom was standing outside his tent, enjoying the cool, nighttime air and having a conversation with Robin.

"I've actually been quite impressed." Robin was saying. "You make a fine ruler, Chrom. You've come a long ways from just tending sheep!"

Chrom laughed. "Have I really changed that much? It doesn't feel like it."

"Hmm… in a way, you haven't." Robin responded. "But you've grown as a leader, and of course, as a father."

Chrom snickered. "Yes, I do miss baby Lucina. But it's all right, because I know she's being taken care of well. Even with Sumia here besides me."

Robin nodded. "Ah yes. I heard that House Ylisse often wet nurses their children." he chuckled. "I guess baby Lucina is no exception."

Chrom sighed. "I've tried to do my best, but my sister left me a weighty legacy. I'm not sure if my best is even enough."

"Your best always will be, Chrom. Anything that you can't hold up, the rest of us will help with." Robin said, comforting him.

Frederick ran up to them. "Milord!" he said with alarm in his voice.

"Frederick?" Chrom asked in surprise. "Is something wrong?"

"Milord!" The Great Knight exclaimed. "There's a messenger from Regna Ferox."

"Wait… Regna Ferox? How did they know we'd be out here?" Chrom wondered aloud.

"Well, milord," Frederick began. "This path DOES lead to Ylisstol. I happened to chance upon them as I was patrolling the area. It's not everyday you see armored knights from Ferox strolling down Ylisse's paths."

Chrom nodded. "And what did they have to say?"

"The khans request your presence at a summit as soon as you're able." Frederick recited. "Apparently there have been signs that the Valmese on the continent of Valm to our west are planning to invade soon."

"An invasion? You're certain that is what they said?" Robin questioned.

"Yes. The khans want to meet with you as soon as possible." Frederick summarized.

"Hmm… what do you think?" Robin asked Chrom.

"If they asked for us as soon as possible, it must be urgent… I don't think it wise for us to return to Ylisstol if we are to set off as soon as we can…" Chrom made up his mind. "Inform everyone to get ready to march for Regna Ferox tomorrow morning." he told Frederick. The Great Knight nodded, and went off.

"There's the possibility of another war looming…" Robin murmured.

"Yeah, I don't like it one bit." Chrom agreed.

"Well, tomorrow's another day… better get some rest Chrom." Robin said as he turned around and left. Chrom nodded, and went back into his own tent, where Sumia was waiting.

"I heard everything." Sumia told him. "We're going to Ferox tomorrow, right?"

Chrom only nodded. "Don't worry, it'll be fine!" his wife tried to comfort him. "We're all by your side, after all!"

Chrom let out a smile. "Yes, I know. It's just… I'm not sure if Ylisse can take another war…"

"We can cross that bridge when we get there. There's no use worrying about that right now." Sumia told him.

Chrom sighed. "Yes dear, you're right."

**The next morning…**

The shepherds made their way to the capital of Ferox. The khans were a little surprised by how soon they were able to arrive, but it was a pleasant surprise. The shepherds were welcomed with open arms. Chrom, Robin and Frederick went off to the Feroxi conference room to discuss the matter with Flavia, while the rest of the shepherds lounged about in the main atrium. Some of them conversed with Anna and got her caught up with that was happening. No one noticed Virion slip away.

"One of your attendants filled me in." Chrom told the Flavia when they got to the conference room. "Is it true that Valmese ships are sailing towards us as we speak? What more can you tell us?"

Flavia sighed. "Not much more than that, I'm afraid. The details we got from our scouts were hazy at best. Not many of them made it back. Just a moment... " she walked to the back exit and stuck her head out the door. "Oaf! Where are you you big, bald bull?! Chrom is here!"

After a few moments, Basilio walked in. "Ah! My boy! I knew you'd come." he paused for a moment. "Although, I didn't expect you to here quite so early. Didn't we just send the messenger out yesterday evening?" he turned to Flavia.

"Apparently they ran into Chrom's company while they were exterminating some bandits in northern Ylisse." Flavia explained.

"Anyways, there's someone else you should hear from. I believe you've met? She claims to have insight on Valm's intentions."

Basilio gestured to the back door, and two people walked in. The first was a woman wearing the armor of a wyvern rider, with long, dark pink hair. The other was an archer quite familiar to the Ylissean members of the room.

"Good day, Lords and Ladies! Allow me the great pleasure of introducing myself…" Virion began.

"We all know who you are, Virion." Chrom interrupted. "But I believe we haven't met your companion?" he gestured to the pink haired woman.

"Hmph!" The archer protested. "You know nothing! Prepare for my great unmasking!" he flaunted his arms out theatrically. "Long have I posed as the archest of archers, yet that was but a ruse! Yea, I disguised myself as a mere, above average man, but in truth, I am-"

The woman cleared her throat. "May I present Duke Virion. I am his humble retainer, Cherche." she turned to Chrom and Robin. "Greetings, sires. You honor us with your presence."

"Cherche!" Virion protested. "You stole my moment!"

Chrom nodded. "A pleasure, Cherche. Perhaps you could speak on your master's behalf?" Cherche nodded. "That may speed things along…" she admitted. "Then please." Chrom replied. "Time is of the essence."

"Very well." Cherche said. "First concerning our origins… We hail from Rosanne, a fertile kingdom on the continent of Valm. Milord is the head of House Virion, and the rightful ruler of Rosanne. A fact that he often reminds us of… and loudly."

Virion snorted. "Is she not a true wit? She gets it all from me, y'know."

"So what brings a noble and his charge all the way across the long sea?" Chrom asked.

"The Valmese." Virion replied. "They are the largest, and most militant of the Valmese nations. They've been quiet for quite a while, but suddenly, Walhart the Conqueror overthrew the last emperor. Once he came into power, they militarized and invaded the rest of the continent. I had no choice but to ru…" Virion nervously looked around for a brief moment. "Er… no choice but to RECRUIT new allies to aid my people." he finished.

"You fled for your life." Robin translated for him.

"More or less, yes." Cherche admitted for her liege. "While milord hastily gathered his valuables and guided his people to safety, I alone remained to keep an eye on the Valmese crisis. I was there when Rosanne was swallowed up by Walhart's overwhelming forces. In the end, I too came to Regna Ferox to seek asylum."

"To my great relief, I must add!" Virion smirked. "Eligible women are one of Rosanne's most precious natural resources! It would be a shame to waste any, even one that cuts off her lord and ma-"

"As I was saying…" Cherche interrupted. "We should really cut this conversation short. Basically, Walhart has taken over our continent and now looks to conquer yours."

"She claims a Valmese fleet will reach our shores in the matter of a couple days." Flavia added. "We'll soon see if her story proves true."

"I speak only what I know for true." Cherche said defensively. "As does my lord… at least, with respect to this matter."

"There's that wit of yours again!" Virion exclaimed. "That wonderful, needling, chafing, wit!"

"I believe you both." Chrom said with resolve. He turned to the khans. "We need to secure your ports, and make sure the Valmese don't have a safe place to land."

"You should know…" Virion volunteered. "That the Valmese are known for having the strongest cavalry in the world. 'Twould be wise to station troops with experience fighting them."

Robin nodded. "I'll make a note of that. Thank you Virion."

"If my estimates are correct, they should be arriving in about two day's time." Cherche said.

"Two days…" Chrom thought to himself. "Even if we send Sumia or Cordelia back for reinforcements, they might not arrive in time."

"And if we do that, we'll probably lose at least one capable fighter against them." Robin finished.

Basilio laughed. "Worry not! Just having the shepherds here will more than raise morale for the rest of the Feroxi fighters! After all, just a few moments ago, we thought we'd have to fend them all off ourselves!

Robin smiled. "I guess you're right. We'd better talk strategy then."

Chrom gestured towards Virion and Cherche. "Thank you, you two. Go off and take a rest. Maybe introduce Cherche to the rest of the shepherds or something. We'll take it from here."

The two nodded, and promptly left the room.

Robin, Frederick and Chrom refocused their attentions to the khans. "So what's the situation like?" Robin asked.

"According to Cherche, the Valmese are going for these four ports." Flavia gestured to four locations on the map on the conference table.

"We were thinking… Flavia and I," Basilio added. "That the Feroxi army take on the Valmese landing at the three largest ports." The west khan pointed to three of the four points. "Which leaves the shepherds to protect this fourth one." he gestured at the last one. "The one named after the kingdom itself: Port Ferox."

"It's Regna Ferox's first port, but also one of the smallest. And as such, the number of ships expected to land there is also the fewest. We know that there is only one group of shepherds, but we also know just how capable you all are, especially with Robin directing things. Also, we thought if there were Feroxi soldiers there, it could interfere with Robin's plans… What do you think?"

"Hmm… Is there a more detailed map of the port?" Robin asked.

"I'm glad you asked." Basilio said. "Otherwise I would've prepared this one for nothing." he pulled out a smaller map and laid it on top of the main map. "I had a specialist make this one. It's very detailed."

Robin looked at it and nodded in approval. "There are many choke points we could defend the port from, even if they manage to make it on shore." He gave the map another once over. "I think we can do it." he finally told the khans. "But do you mind lending me this map?"

Basilio laughed. "Of course! I had no intention to keep it when I had it made."

Chrom smiled. "Thanks, Basilio. We won't let you down."

Flavia chuckled. "No, we should be the ones thanking YOU. In the next couple of days, feel free to stay and take a good look around the capital. We'll find an inn where the shepherds can stay for you all."

Frederick bowed. "You are most gracious. On behalf of milord and all the shepherds, I'd like to give you my thanks."

Flavia waved her hand dismissively. "Now, now, none of that now. We're allies, and we are mutually benefiting to boot. Just accept it."

Chrom smiled. "Then we shall. Come, let's head back to the others."

With that, Chrom, along with Robin and Frederick, left Flavia and Basilio and headed back to the atrium.

**Meanwhile…**

Anna was still new to the shepherds, and found it a little difficult to fit in at first. She saw a blonde girl that appeared to be about her age. She decided she'll try and get some information about them from her.

"Um… hello?" Anna murmured as she tapped Lissa, who was busy observing some of the paintings on display, on the shoulder.

Lissa turned around. "Oh, hello! You're Anna. What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about the shepherds." Anna said. "I haven't really been here for long."

"Oh, no problem!" Lissa exclaimed. "We are a group of Chrom, my brother's, personal fighters. During times of peace, we mostly go around Ylisse, making sure the civilians are safe and clearing the land of bandits." Lissa explained.

"So… is your brother a noble then? Why does he even bother protecting the halidom's civilians? Is he just that much of a nice guy?" Anna asked, perplexed.

Lissa giggled. "No, my brother is the Exalt." she explained. "Kind of like the ruler of Ylisse."

"T-the Exalt?" Anna squeaked. "I… I had no idea!" 'Perhaps if I stay with these guys, I could hit a fortune at the capital.' she thought to herself. 'Just imagine it: None of my sisters have a shop there!'

"Well, what about Robin?" she asked out of curiosity. "Is he like a nobleman, or a government official or something?"

Lissa chuckled. "No. He's our tactician. With him leading us, we haven't lost a battle, or a person, yet!" she paused. "Well, not unless you count our attempt to save Emm…" her face fell, and she sighed. "But counting that battle as a lost would also be unfair to Robin."

Anna noted how Lissa's demeanor changed, and didn't press the issue. She patiently waited for Lissa to continue.

"As for who he is, I don't actually know. We know he's Plegian. Chrom and I actually found him passed out along the road near the Plegian-Ylissean border. He seems to have lost his memories." Lissa finally said.

"Interesting…." Anna murmured.

"But… Tharja knows something about his past!" Lissa exclaimed, seeming to remember the fact. "She says that it's probably better for Robin if she doesn't tell us, or tell him for that matter though. She apparently was serving him when he was in Plegia or something. By that fact alone, I'd guess he was probably a Plegian noble or something."

"And for as long as you've known him, has he always been such a… nice guy?" Anna pressed.

Lissa thought for a moment. "Definitely! He's always been super nice to me! One time, he switched bedrolls with me so I could get away from the cold… another time, he read to me when I was having trouble falling asleep… When Emm died, he was the one that comforted me… He didn't even get mad at me when I accidentally ruined one of his books… or when I pranked him with a frog… he bought me food that one time too…" Lissa continued rattling on, telling Anna of everything nice Robin had done for her. The redhead was captivated by the things she heard.

Anna bit her lip. "Wow… it's no surprise that he was so nice when he freed me from those bandits then…" she murmured.

"...And his presence is very comforting!" Lissa added. "He makes it feel as if there's nothing in the world to worry about. And if there is, he'll take care of it before you even realize it was a problem!"

"Yeah, I got that feeling about him too." Anna admitted, recalling how nice it felt to hug the tactician as soon as she'd been freed. "Say, Lissa… how old are you?"

Lissa thought for a moment. "Um… this year I'm eighteen." she finally said.

"Wow, so am I!" Anna exclaimed. "How about we be friends then?"

Lissa blinked twice. "Well, we're both shepherds, and all the shepherds are friends with one another… But sure, let's definitely be friends." She smiled at the redhead, who returned it immediately.

**With Cherche…**

Cherche got a brief introduction to the shepherds from her liege. She couldn't help but notice that one of the shepherds was a swordmaster named Lon'qu. When Virion was done blabbing away, she made her way over to him.

"Pardon me, but are you Lon'qu?" she asked him.

"Yeah. What do you want?" the swordsman replied.

"Did you grow up in the slums? And did you know a young girl named Ke'ri?" Cherche continued.

Lon'qu froze. "Where did you hear that name?" he demanded.

"Ah ha!" Cherche said victoriously. "So it WAS you they told me about!"

"Who is they?" Lon'qu pressed. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I met Ke'ri's parents when I came to Regna Ferox with Minerva." Cherche explained. "I saved them from a pack of bandits outside the town. They told me that their daughter had been killed by the very same outlaws. Later I heard a young boy named Lon'qu was with her at the time. ...And that he fought like a demon in a vain attempt to protect her. Naturally, when I was introduced to you, I started thinking—"

"I fought, yes. But in the end, it was she who died protecting me." he told her. "Her mother and father hated me. They blamed me for her death. I was a homeless boy from the slums, and I stole their only daughter."

"Actually, about that…" Cherche began.

"Enough!" Lon'qu interrupted. "I cannot bear to speak of it. Please go away, woman!"

Cherche furrowed her eyebrows. "Please, you have to listen! It's something you'd want to know!"

"I know that I want to stop discussing this issue." Lon'qu coldly told her.

"Her parents did not hate you, Lon'qu." Cherche continued, ignoring the swordmaster. "They were grateful to you. It's true that when Ke'ri was killed, they blamed you for her death. But then they learned how desperately you tried to save her. And when you vanished from the slum, they knew that it was their fault."

Lon'qu listened, but did not say anything.

"Soon after Ke'ri died, her parents found her diary. They discovered what a good friend you had been to her." Cherche continued. "Your friendship made her happy, and that, in turn, made them happy. So they don't hate you. Not anymore. And I know they would want you to know that."

Lon'qu stared at her for a moment. He finally sighed. "It is good to be forgiven. But this wound… it might still take time to heal."

With that, he walked away, leaving Cherche sighing by herself.

**The following day…**

Robin woke up and ate breakfast at the inn with the shepherds. He didn't really have plans for the day, but he decided to study the topography maps of Port Ferox and think out some possible strategies. After he's done with that, he could take a walk through town, then maybe get some more reading done.

His plans were interrupted by a knock on his door. When he got up to open the door, he was met with the very enthusiastic Anna.

"Hey Robin!" the redhead exclaimed. "Got anything planned for today?" she asked him.

Robin smiled. "Yeah, I'm drawing out plans for fighting the Valmese tomorrow." he explained.

"Oh…" Anna's face fell.

Robin chuckled. "Why? What if I told you I were free?"

"Well…." Anna put the tips of her index fingers together and looked off to the side. "I was gonna go looking around town, and I was kinda wondering if… y'know… if you would… come with me?"

Robin shrugged. "It shouldn't take all day. I don't see why I can't go with you for a couple hours and then work on it."

"Yay!" Anna smiled and clapped her hands together. "Let's go then!"

She grabbed Robin's hand and pulled him away.

The pair seemed to visit every shop in the town. They went to a clothing shop, an armory, a bookstore, a jewelry shop, and a couple more others. They mostly looked, since Robin had no use for mostly everything they saw, and Anna refused to pay the 'exorbitant' prices for anything. Still, Anna seemed to be more than content just wandering the streets with Robin.

The two finally ended up at a wine shop. Anna, once again, was busy examining the merchandise and their prices.

"The stuff here is pretty expensive too…." Anna said as she examined a bottle.

"Ay, lass. Most of the Feroxi don't drink wine on a regular basis." The shopkeeper told them as he walked up to the pair.

"Really?" Robin asked with furrowed eyebrows. "I would've thought the Feroxi drink a lot. Is the wine not good?"

The shopkeeper laughed. "Drink a lot of beer, yes. But wine is reserved for sad events."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"For example, only wine is served at Feroxi funerals." the shopkeeper explained. "If a Feroxi is drinking wine, it's usually because they're mourning something. It's not because the quality is bad, it's just because of tradition."

"I… see." Robin said. "When they do drink wine, though, which one is popular?"

The shopkeeper walked over to the next aisle, and picked out a bottle of red wine. "This one is the one this town is famous for.

Robin checked the price. It wasn't the least expensive one, but it certainly wasn't the priciest option either. "Can I get one bottle of that one then?" he asked, as he fished out his money.

The shopkeeper smiled. "Of course."

Robin and Anna left after he had purchased the wine. It was getting pretty late into the afternoon, so the two began to walk back towards the inn.

"I wasn't under the impression that you were a heavy drinker." Anna teased. "Are you mourning something?"

Robin shrugged. "I honestly don't know how much alcohol I've consumed in the past, because I don't remember. And I'm not mourning something, I just know Regna Ferox has supposedly the best alcohol on the continent, and was curious about trying some."

"Sure…." Anna said skeptically. "Then why not get some of their beer then?"

"Beer is harder to buy. I'm not about to buy an entire barrel, and I can't store a single beer for later consumption. I just think wine is easier because I can just buy a bottle." Robin explained.

At this point, they had reached the inn. Robin said goodbye to Anna and was about to head back to his room. Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Wait, Anna!" he exclaimed.

"Y-yes?" the redhead stammered in surprise.

"I forgot, I did some thinking, and I believe that you're the best candidate for this weapon." Robin reached his hand out, and a Levin sword materialized in his hand from an astral plane.

"For me?" Anna asked in surprise. "Is that what I think it is?"

Robin nodded. "It's a Levin sword. Actually, it was Gangrel's Levin sword. There aren't many sword fighters in the shepherds that also know how to cast magic. I figured since you seem to know how to use a staff, you'd be able to make the best use of it."

"G-gangrel's sword?" Anna stammered. "Wait, how do you know I know how to use a staff? I haven't healed anyone in front of you."

"That's a trade secret." Robin smiled at her, and the redhead began to pout.

"Fine, keep all you secrets." Her expression then softened. "I'd better learn how to use this thing then. It sounds like it could be very useful."

Robin nodded in agreement. "Very useful indeed."

With that, he said his goodbyes and went back to his room. He stored the wine in an astral plane and got back to work strategizing.

**The next morning…**

Robin was woken by a loud screaming through the streets. "The Valmese are here! The Valmese are here!"

"Shit! That's so much earlier than expected!" Robin cursed to himself. He reluctantly pulled out his Hekseer.

{It seems the Valmese have arrived. Everyone get ready, we need to head for Port Ferox.}

He received a chorus of grumbles, but everyone got up and began to get ready for battle.

They all met in front of the inn. "Didn't we have until afternoon before they'd arrive?" complained a still groggy Chrom. "Why'd they get here so soon?"

"They must've traveled faster than expected." Robin mused. "Maybe they suddenly had very strong, favorable winds."

"That doesn't change how upset I am." Chrom grumbled. "I barely got any sleep last night."

Robin didn't know if he was implying something, but he didn't press it. "Anyway, they might be just as tired as we are. If anything, we can get our blood flowing during our short march there. It'll help us wake up."

The shepherds quickly gathered and made their way towards Port Ferox. True to Robin's word, by the time they arrived, they didn't feel sleepy anymore. However, to their dismay, many of the Valmese cavalry and Armored Knights already got off the ship and were swarming the port.

{Shepherds, we fortify ourselves first. There's two large piles of wood that should be unpassable. Frederick and Kellam, guard the space between the two piles, and don't let anyone pass. Chrom, Sully, Stahl, and Vaike protect our left flank. Lon'qu, Donnel, Gregor, Cherche, protect our right flank. All other units, gather between them and lend support to whichever side is struggling. We'll wait for them to exhaust their numbers a little first.}

The shepherds assembled, and the battle began.

Several Valmese Armored Knights challenged Frederick and Kellam, but they could not penetrate the pair's heavy armor. Maribelle and Ricken each threw a magic spell at the knights, which weakened them enough for Frederick and Kellam to finish them.

Off to the left flank, a group of cavalry charged the shepherds. Chrom pulled out his rapier and went for an enemy rider's horse, killing the beast and causing the Valmese to fall off his mount. Gaius shot an arrow into the guy while he was still down. The man didn't get up. Stahl wiped the floor with another Cavalier, and immediately went to go help Sully, who was engaged in a fight with an enemy Paladin. The Paladin had a beast killer, but had difficulty penetrating the heavy armor of Sully's horse. Sully, on the other hand, was having a fine time against him with her steel axe. As soon as Stahl's help arrived, the pair easily killed off the enemy promoted unit. Nearby, Vaike jumped into the air and brought his axe down, knocking an enemy right off his mount and killing him. "Looks like Teach just got tenure!" some nearby shepherds heard him exclaim.

On the right flank, Donnel held an enemy Armored Knight at bay with his steel axe while Miriel launched an Elfire spell right at his opponent. The armor began to heat up to unbearable temperatures, and got soft enough for Donnel to punch through with a swing of his axe, ending the poor Valmese's misery. Nearby, Gregor and Cherche were in similar situations, defending against some armored knights to allow the other mages to have opportunities to strike with their magic tomes. Meanwhile, Lon'qu darted from target to target, slashing up one Cavalier after another. Olivia trailed behind him, finishing off any Valmese lucky enough to survive the first round against the swordmaster.

Sumia flew up in the air and threw magic towards the enemy reinforcements. Although nowhere near as strong as Maribelle, Miriel, Ricken or Tharja's, the spells did wound the enemy Armored Knights, which were also easy targets. It also startled the enemy's horses, causing some of the Valmese troops to fall into disarray.

Most of the other shepherds that Robin didn't call on specifically had learned of Robin's general strategy, and aimed to be as useful as possible. Virion shot arrows at unsuspecting Cavaliers whenever the opportunity presented itself. Panne ran in and knocked an Armored Knight over with a kick to their helmet. Anna was showing proficiency in her new Levin sword, and was helping cut down the heavily armored Valmese.

Robin heard a cry of alarm from their right flank, and turned to see Gregor dive in front of an arrow meant for Cherche's wyvern. However, the arrow was deflected by Gregor's armor. Robin frowned. Gregor didn't have armor that would completely deflect an arrow like that. He squinted, and could see the sunlight reflect off of something he was wearing. It looked like scales, dragon scales to be specific, but he couldn't tell. He'd have to make a mental note to ask about it later.

The arrow flew from an enemy Ranger. Robin was still puzzled by how Gregor was able to avoid getting hurt by the arrow, but he couldn't allow himself to get distracted right now. Regardless, Lon'qu set his sights on him, and closed in to cut him down. The Ranger stood no chance at close range.

Slowly, the Valmese numbers began to dwindle. They kept throwing themselves at the shepherds, but were unable to penetrate Robin's defensive formations. The shepherds took down Valmese after Valmese, but they were unfazed. They kept rushing the shepherds with human wave tactics, possibly because they were so confident that they were the strongest armed force in the world.

It wasn't until there were only a few members of the Valmese left before their commander, Sir Dalton, realized something wasn't right. The shepherds didn't seem to have gotten any weaker, and yet his forces were completely plastered across the floor.

"Warriors of Valm! Ride with me!" Dalton commanded, as he charged off the ship with his most elite cavalry troops.

Robin heard Dalton's proclamation. {Be careful everyone, it sounds like the Valmese have a trick up their sleeves.} Just as he finished warning everyone, Dalton and his horsemen appeared in their field of vision, and the Valmese charged Kellam and Frederick. The two of them stood their ground, and took the brunt of the charge. They knew that the rest of the shepherds were right behind them, ready to support them.

Dalton's strongest troops proved to be more of a challenge. Kellam and Frederick found themselves struggling to hold their ground. A Valmese cavalier charged Frederick with no intention of stopping. Frederick, finally making a mistake, gets caught by his opponent's lance. His heavy armor protected him enough, but he still got knocked off his horse, and lost consciousness when he hit the ground. Sensing that it no longer had a rider, Frederick's horse fled.

{Cordelia! Temporarily fill Frederick's position! Donnel! I need you to come to us and take Cordelia's spot as soon as possible. Cherche, come and lift Frederick to safety!} Robin quickly commanded, clearly not happy about the turn of events. He drew his scythe, and ran to help cover the gap with Cordelia.

Without Frederick, their defense over the choke point was much weaker. The remaining Valmese slowly began to force the shepherds back. Robin tried his best, and slashed his scythe around, cutting the legs of a Valmese Cavalier, causing his opponent to fall. Gaius killed the man with an arrow.

However, Robin was unable to defend himself against Dalton, and the Paladin thrusted his silver lance at the tactician.

"Robin!" Cordelia cried as her pegasus dropped down between him and Dalton, knocking the tactician back and to safety. She tried to deflect the lance with her own, but Dalton simply had too much momentum behind his charge. She managed to deflect the lance slightly, so that the lance stabbed into her left shoulder, just under her collarbone.

Cordelia shrieked in pain. Robin was about to get up and do something, but Donnel charged in with his axe. He, along with Kellam, killed Dalton just as he was pulling his lance out of Cordelia.

"What…? H-how…" were Dalton's last words before he died.

Robin got up, and Cordelia gave him a smile. "I'm… glad you're safe." she managed to get out before the blood loss began to get to her. She fell off her pegasus, and Robin moved to catch her.

"Lissa! Maribelle! I need you!" Robin shouted. "Someone! Healer!" he carried the unconscious form of Cordelia towards the back of their formation.

Frederick getting injured, and now Cordelia dealt a massive blow to the shepherd's morale. However, it paled in comparison to the damage dealt to the Valmese from losing their leader. The rest of the shepherds, even without the guidance of Robin, were able to kill off the remaining Valmese quite easily. Many, especially those closer to Cordelia, quickly rushed over to their fallen comrade.

"Oh no! Cordelia!" Sumia exclaimed as she closed in on her falicorn. She dismounted, and rushed over to see her friend. Her falicorn, suddenly left to her own devices, walked over to Robin, who was kneeling over Cordelia as Lissa worked her healing, and began to nuzzle him affectionately. Belfire had always been extraordinarily friendly towards the tactician, and Sumia could not figure out why.

"Robin, Basilio and Flavia are here!" Chrom called. Robin reluctantly got up and made his way over.

"How did things go on your end?" he heard Flavia ask Chrom.

"We've won, but at a price." Chrom replied.

Basilio nodded. "Ay, as did we. The cities are in shambles, as is my army."

"This is very troubling news." Robin said as he joined them. "If the Feroxi army is having trouble with the Valmese, then we are ALL in trouble."

"That's not it either." Flavia added. "This was just their vanguard. Their main forces will probably arrive in a few week's time."

"And once it arrives, their host will wash over the entire continent in a matter of a couple months, maybe even weeks." Basilio noted. "There's no way we could repel them and protect our peoples. It would be a slaughter."

"Ylisse isn't too well equipped to keep more warships from landing... " Chrom said, furrowing his brow. "Robin, what do you suggest?"

"Their greatest strength is their cavalry." Robin said. "But that only gives them an advantage on LAND. What if we were to catch them out at SEA?"

"But…" Chrom protested. "Ylisse doesn't have a very strong navy… nor does Regna Ferox. How could we hope to challenge them at sea?"

"So we'd need help from a country that does… maybe one that borders the sea, with enough money to fund the campaign…" Basilio muttered aloud.

"Plegia!" Robin exclaimed.

"No. Absolutely not." Chrom vetoed. "Out of the question."

"They have gold and ships, boy!" Basilio argued. "And more importantly, we'd have a fart's chance in the wind without them."

"The oaf is right." Flavia agreed. "Crude, but to the point."

"Will you reconsider, Chrom?" Robin asked him.

"Very well." Chrom said reluctantly. "Send a messenger to request a summit immediately. Let us pray that their new king is more reasonable than their last."

"It would take longer for you to send someone to Ylisse to send a messenger." Basilio said. "Why don't we send a messenger from Ferox to request a summit in your place?" he offered.

"That would be ideal." Chrom agreed. "Time is of the essence."

"Y'know, for your first battle against the Valmese, it was a pretty impressive victory. You and Chrom have both grown quite adept."

Robin smiled wistfully. "Yes, but the shepherds suffered more loss in this battle than any other before. I know that we can't expect to win every battle with zero casualties, and yet, it still feels like it was partly my fault that they got injured."

"The Valmese are strong." Basilio nodded. "The number of casualties in my army is a testament of that. It's a miracle you got your victory with only a few wounded." with that, Basilio left to go find a messenger.

Robin nodded. It made sense after all. Aside from Cordelia, there had been several people with light wounds. Especially those fighting on the front lines. While Lissa and Maribelle worked on Cordelia, the other healers helped with the lighter wounds. Libra, Anna, even Miriel were removing the scrapes and bruises from the other shepherds, one by one.

Suddenly, the elation of victory was ripped from Robin by Lissa, who ran up to him.

"Robin! Robin!" the princess practically screamed. She stopped in front of him and tried to catch her breath. "It's Cordelia!"

Robin's eyes widened. "What about her?"

Lissa looked up with tears forming in her eyes. "She's… she's wounded too much… Our staves aren't working anymore…"

"What?" Chrom gritted his teeth. "We're losing her!" Lissa began to cry. "She's dying!"

Robin's blood turned to ice. He immediately ran off towards where Cordelia was lying.

**Cherche: HP: 100% Str: 70% Mag: 20% Skl: 55% Spd: 50% Lck: 50% Def: 55% Res: 25%**

**Class: Wyvern Rider**

**Age: 20**


	21. Of Sacred Blood

**Author's Notes:**

**As many of you who have played the game might know, this chapter is pretty significant. I'm honestly pretty happy with what is in it, as it covers quite a variety of topics. It's also one that I've worked extremely hard on, because it's such a 'special' chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy chapter 21 and the big reveal:**

**Port Ferox**

Robin ran towards Cordelia, with adrenaline coursing through his veins. He saw Sumia standing near her, quietly sobbing into her hands. Gaius sat nearby, with a dumbstruck look on his face. Gregor shook his head and sighed. Even the normally composed Maribelle had tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Maribelle looked up at Robin. "I'm sorry. I tried. Lissa and I both tried. It wasn't enough. Once someone is wounded to a certain extent, no amount of healing from our staves will be able to help them."

Robin knelt down next to the unconscious Cordelia. "Did she… is she dead?" he asked them.

Maribelle shook her head. "She still has a pulse… but without healing that wound, there's no way she can recover… it's only a matter of time before she's gone for good."

Robin looked down at Cordelia, and agreed that the wound had been extremely severe. Dalton's lance and completely gone through her shoulder, meaning that had she been lifted up, it would've been possible to see right through her wound. However, because she was lying down, a pool of blood began to form in the well of the wound. Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "If she's not dead yet, then there's still hope."

At this, some of the nearby shepherds looked at him expectantly. "You have something in mind, Bubbles?" Gaius asked hopefully. "You have a way of saving her?"

"I guess you could say that." Robin rolled up his sleeves. "Get back everyone, I need a bit of space."

Everyone obliged, eager to see what Robin was capable of. They moved away from the body of Cordelia and held their breaths. Robin knelt over Cordelia, and placed his hands over the wound. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, entering a state of intense concentration.

When he reopened his eyes, they were glowing reddish purple. Energy of the same color began to collect in his palms. Strands of the energy began to seep from his hands down towards the wound. Everyone looked on in shock and wonder, even Lissa and Lon'qu who had already witnessed his ability to heal others, as the wound slowly but surely began to patch itself back up. Where the energy touched the wound, flesh began to form until wound became about half of its original size.

Robin stopped transferring quintessence to Cordelia for a moment. "L-lissa… try… healing her… now..." he panted, clearly out of breath.

The War Cleric immediately rushed over with her mend staff. She began to channel the staff's energy, and began to cry in elation when it began to heal Cordelia. "It's working, it's working!" the Ylissean princess exclaimed. "Come help me Maribelle!"

Maribelle came over and began to work on Cordelia as well.

"So… is she gonna be fine?" A rather concerned Gaius asked them.

"She'll still be quite injured, but after we're done working on her, she'll eventually recover." Maribelle said.

Many of the shepherds nearby sighed in relief. Sumia began to offer a silent prayer of thanks to Naga.

Robin sat down and smiled, extremely relieved that Cordelia had been saved. He was clearly exhausted. He felt his limbs began to grow numb and his vision became blurry. A moment later, he fell on his back and lost consciousness.

**Later...**

Robin awoke to find himself lying on a bedroll. He blinked a few times and looked around. He recognized that he must be in a medical tent. He groaned and slowly got up. His limbs still felt a little numb. Shaking it off, Robin got up and walked outside.

It was the evening. The sun had just about set, and it was dark outside. He immediately noted how arid and dry the air felt. It was nothing like the crisp air of Ylisse, nor the cold air of Regna Ferox. He dismissed it for now and made his way to the command tent.

All heads turned towards Robin when he lifted the tent flap and walked in.

Chrom smiled. "Hey! It's good to see you've woken up."

Frederick nodded in agreement. "We were worried about you. You've been out for three days." Frederick bowed. "I learned of you saving Cordelia from the others when I awoke myself. It was my mistake that put her in danger in the first place."

"Don't worry about it, you're human after all." Robin responded.

Chrom nodded. "You fought your best. We're just glad everything worked out in the end."

"Three days?" Robin chuckled, changing the subject. "Was it really that long?"

Chrom nodded. "Yes. We decided to carry you with us while we came to Plegia to discuss the matter with their new king." At this point, he smiled. "You were quite a sight, sleeping in a cart as it was being pulled along with us."

"Plegia, so is that where we are right now?" Robin wondered aloud. "That explains how dry the air is."

Frederick nodded. "Yes. We are currently on Carrion isle, where the new king of Plegia, Validar, agreed to meet with us. We are just waiting for him to arrive now."

Chrom patted Robin on the shoulder. "Why don't you go catch up with the other shepherds? I bet they've been worried sick about you. We'll call you when Validar arrives."

Robin nodded in agreement, and left the command tent. He wandered around camp, saying hello to anyone he met, but was mostly just looking for one person.

Eventually, his diligence paid off. He found Cordelia sitting in front of a campfire pit. She had bandages wrapped all around her left shoulder, but otherwise seemed to be fine. Robin took a seat next to her on the log she was sitting on.

"How's your wound?" Robin asked the Falcon Knight.

"Robin!" Cordelia exclaimed. "The others told me you were the one to save me… we were all worried about you when you didn't wake up."

Robin smiled. "I just expended a lot of energy is all. It takes some time for me to regenerate, but I'll always be OK." he didn't mention how it was possible for him to die if he used up too much, but it didn't seem like a good idea to tell her.

Cordelia smiled and gave Robin a hug. "Thank you. I probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you."

"It's no problem! I'd do it again if I had to. After all, you're the one that helped me first." Robin waved his hand dismissively. "More importantly, how's the wound?"

Cordelia looked to her shoulder. "Lissa just changed the bandages for me. All that's left is a scar. However, my left arm feels much weaker than before, and Lissa says it's because the spear tore through some of my muscle. It's gonna take a while before I can use it effectively again, but my right arm is the more important one in combat."

Robin nodded in understanding. "It's amazing how fast wounds can heal when you have a talented cleric working on it."

"But it doesn't matter if the wound is too much for a staff to heal." Cordelia noted. "I'm not sure exactly how you did it, but thank you. You saved my life."

Robin nodded. "Well it's good to see that you're doing fine now. I'm gonna go catch up with the others." Cordelia nodded as well, and the tactician got up to find others to talk to.

Robin went around, and greeted some more people. They all were happy to see that Robin had gotten up. The only person Robin was not able to find was Sumia. He asked around, and apparently she'd offered to fly back to Ylisstol, so they could send troops towards the Feroxi ports. He agreed with the decision, as she was the one that could get there fastest, since Cordelia was still injured. Cherche also wouldn't have as much influence as her in the capital either.

Speaking of Cherche, Chrom had agreed to give her a master seal, and in the past few days, she'd been trying to get accustomed to a slightly newer style of fighting, including lances in her choice of weaponry.

After he made his rounds, Robin returned back to the command tent to wait for Validar to come.

It didn't take too long. Pretty soon, Frederick came to report that Validar had arrived. Chrom and Robin went to go meet him. The three of them made their way to the main fort on Carrion Isle.

They were welcomed by an all too familiar female.

"Greetings, Prince Chrom." Aversa bowed. "Plegia welcomes you."

"Aversa!" Chrom exclaimed, not too happily.

"What can I say?" she shrugged. "It seems fate has designs for me yet. Sorry about the last time we met, as you know, I must stay loyal to my king, regardless of what they think or do…"

"So, you serve the new king then? This… Validar?"

She nodded. "I do."

"They say he worships Grima…" Frederick began.

Aversa chuckled. "Why of course! This is Plegia after all. Would it be surprising for an Ylissean to worship Naga?" She waved her hand. "Anyways, they say it was his faith that got him through Gangrel's passing. Even if their political views don't align, they WERE brothers after all. It was a difficult time, but he managed to keep order through the chaos. Ah… here is my lord now."

A tall sorcerer in dark robes approached them. He gave them a bow. "I am king Validar of Plegia. It is an honor to finally meet you."

"The honor is mine, good king." Chrom told him as he gave the Plegian a closer look. He gave a confused expression. "Is it possible that we've met before? … Naga, it can't be!" He scrambled through his thoughts, to that night nearly two years ago. Although he wasn't there when it happened, Chrom did see the body of the sorcerer that lead the assault on Emmeryn's life. The man in front of him currently bore an uncanny resemblance to that sorcerer.

Validar smirked. "Oh ho! I'm quite certain I would've remembered meeting Ylissean royalty."

Chrom leaned close to Robin. "Doesn't he-"

"I know!" Robin whispered back. "He looks just like him."

Validar turned to Robin and smiled. "And you must be Sir Robin!"

"You know me, sire?" Robin politely responded.

"The whole world knows of Ylisse's master tactician!" Validar said as he raised his arms dramatically. "And indeed, I see a sparkle of wisdom in your eyes!"

"But, we killed him!" Chrom whispered to Robin. "I know, but the resemblance is uncanny!" Robin whispered back. "How could he possibly-" Chrom began, but was interrupted by Validar.

"My, my. The negotiations haven't even started, and you're already whispering." The sorcerer shook his head.

"Forgive us, King Validar. We mean no disrespect." Chrom told him.

"Then let's get right to it." Validar made a hand gesture at Aversa, who took a step forward. "Plegia can offer no soldiers, but will provide 800 warships and 200 transports. In addition, we'll be pleased to fund the entire campaign against Valm." she recited.

"That's… surprisingly generous!" Frederick exclaimed. "We could not ask for more, quite literally. You offer almost all of your assets."

"We understand the predicament that Valm puts against our entire continent." Validar replied. "My army is still in shambles from the last war, so regretfully, I am unable to help on that front. However, I trust the gold and ships will suffice as a sign of our commitment to the cause?"

"Of course." Chrom bowed. "Thank you, King Validar."

"The pleasure is mine, Exalt Chrom." Validar returned his bow. "As a sign of courtesy, we'll have our soldiers sail the ships to the Feroxi ports for you. I wager that's where your troops will most easily be able to set sail from? They can set sail tomorrow morning, that is, if it works for you."

Chrom nodded. "That would be for the best. We could use all the time we can get, and that would definitely save us some. Well if that's all, then we'll make our way back to camp then." He turned around and was about to leave, but was interrupted by Aversa.

"Oh so soon?" She asked with mock sadness in her voice. "But I have one more introduction to make!"

Chrom turned to face them. "Yes? And who would that be?"

"A hierophant." Validar proudly proclaimed. "The highest of his order here in Plegia!" As Validar said this, a cloaked man walked out from the shadows.

"Oh, so you lead the people in worship?" Robin asked him. "We were just discussing religion earlier."

The cloaked man didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry," Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "Have I said something to offend you?"

"The heart still sleeps, and yet blood still flows through it…" The hierophant muttered. "The blood is strong, but even after two years, nothing has changed."

Robin pointed to himself and looked at the others. "Was he talking to me?"

"Good hierophant, may I ask you to lower your cowl?" Frederick asked politely. "In Ylisse, it is common courtesy when speaking to royalty."

The hierophant laughed. "And in Plegia, it is common courtesy to not whisper in front of the king. You are a long way from Ylisse, but I shall abide by your moral code. A host must be generous, after all." He lowered his hood, to reveal a face that mirrored Robin exactly. The only difference was that the hierophant had a beard and looked around twenty years older.

"Is that better?" he asked with a smug look on his face.

"What?" Robin exclaimed. "He looks just like me!"

"By the gods!" Chrom echoed.

"What manner of sorcery is this?" Frederick wondered aloud.

"My name is Robin." The hierophant continued. "Oh, and that's YOUR name too, isn't it? What a strange coincidence…"

"That IS rather curious, isn't it? Now that you mention it, what are the odds?" Validar smirked. "In any case, I believe we're done here. We'll let you be on your way now." This time, Validar turned around and began to leave.

"Hold on a second!" Chrom protested. "What is the meaning of this? Why does your hierophant and Robin look the same?"

"I'm afraid we've no time for such trivial matters now, Your Highness." Aversa said as she also turned around to leave. "We have aid preparations to attend to, and you have a long, hard journey ahead. We'll be awaiting your good news of victory over the Valmese!"

And with that, the Plegians left. Puzzled, but without anything to work with, the Ylisseans also headed back towards their own camp.

"Send a few of our little projects on the Ylisseans." Validar said as soon as he was out of earshot of their guests. "It'll be a useful experiment for our dark mages."

"But, wouldn't that be suspicious?" Aversa asked. "They are on Plegian soil, after all."

The hierophant, Robin, laughed. "Silly girl. You need not ask, only DO. Let all of the decision making fall on our shoulders."

Aversa kneeled in front of Robin and lowered her head. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I will do so at once."

Robin waved his hand for her to get up. "Not right now. Wait until nightfall. If it happens as soon as we leave, it will indeed be suspicious."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous? After all, it's still useful for them to be alive. If they die, who will fight off the Valmese?" Validar asked him.

"You need not worry. After all, that Robin may have forgotten much, but he shares the same powers and abilities as me. Do not underestimate him." Robin replied.

"What if he's asleep?" Validar pressed. "What if they're all asleep?"

Robin smirked. "I'll make sure he won't be asleep. Stop questioning me. Just do it."

"Yes, of course." Validar bowed towards Robin and they continued back towards Castle Dohlr.

It was already extremely late when the Chrom and the others got back to the shepherd's camp. The rest of the male shepherds were gathered around a bonfire, and welcomed their leaders as they rejoined them. The females were several meters away, gathered around their own campfire, laughing about something.

"So, how'd it go?" Stahl asked.

Chrom sat down next to Ricken and Lon'qu. The swordmaster seemed oddly nervous about something, but Chrom didn't seem to notice.

"Well, Plegia is very generous this time." Chrom told the others. "They're funding the entire campaign, and have offered almost all their ships."

"That… IS very generous." Virion murmured. Many of the other shepherds nodded in agreement.

"Well, Mister Super Swordsman," Gaius nudged Lon'qu. "Got anything you'd like to say to Blue?"

Lon'qu immediately turned away. "Mind your own business, thief."

"What's this about?" Chrom asked with curiosity.

Gaius smirked. "Hey Blue, say hello to your new brother in law!" he gestured towards Lon'qu dramatically.

The shepherds already in on it began to guffaw, leaving Frederick and Chrom out of the loop for a couple moments. The only other person not laughing was Lon'qu. Robin got the implications of the statement much quicker, and joined in on the laughter.

Everyone laughing made Chrom feel like he should be too, and so he did. That is, until realization began to dawn on him. "Wait, what!?" he exclaimed.

"Yep." Gaius draped on arm around Lon'qu. "Who would've thought the ol' Lon'qu that was scared of the ladies will get married sooner than any of us?"

"You never even mentioned anything of this to me. Do you honestly think I would've agreed to it?" He pointed at Lon'qu accusingly. "I should honestly take you out of the shepherds, and kick you back to Regna Ferox! How would you like that?" Chrom sounded legitimately angry, and Lon'qu flinched at his words.

"Calm down, Chrom." Robin said. "Lon'qu did everything in his power to make sure Lissa stayed safe right? And besides, she clearly likes him too. They're good for each other. It'll be beneficial for both of them." At this, Chrom did calm down. Lon'qu gave Robin a look of gratitude.

"Yeah, I guess you do have a point." Chrom folded his arms and closed his eyes. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Stahl nervously laughed. "Didn't you and Sumia get together at around the same age?"

"If I recall, Sumia was actually younger than Lissa right now when she married you, correct?" Virion added.

Chrom let out a sigh. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I guess I overreacted. She's always been my baby sister, so I guess in my mind, she's never been ready for marriage."

"We can understand your feelings, sire." Libra began. "But understand that Lon'qu can also be really good for milady Lissa. He won't be just leeching off of her."

"Yes." Lon'qu finally spoke. "I will make sure she won't regret this decision."

Chrom nodded. "All right then. That's all I needed to hear."

**Earlier that evening…**

Chrom had gone off to meet with King Validar with Robin and Frederick. This meant the rest of the shepherds had the time to do what they wanted back at camp. Some went to take a walk, others train, and others still just decided to stay in camp and relax.

Lon'qu was sitting in his own tent, looking at the ring he had bought earlier. It wasn't anything too extravagant or expensive, because he simply did not have the money. Nonetheless, he hoped the princess would accept it. He knew that he might be pushing his luck a little, but after what Cherche told him, he felt this could be the next step to his healing. Despite keeping his distance from the females, somehow, a certain stubborn princess had managed to break her way into his heart.

He sighed. "What's the worst that could happen?" 'She rejects you, but you'd still have some options.' A voice in his head told him. The female shepherds, for the most part, cared for him, despite knowing his condition, and deep down, Lon'qu knew that. The male shepherds, on the other hand, also are aware and try to help him as much as they can. This led Lon'qu to begin to smile. The shepherds felt like a family to him, something he had certainly not experienced back in Regna Ferox.

His thoughts were interrupted by a feminine voice calling out to him from outside his tent. "Heya Lon'qu! I'm back for another chat!"

Even if he hadn't recognized the voice to be Lissa's, Lon'qu would know exactly who it was. Only one girl has ever come to bother him for no reason. Not that he minded, in this case.

"All right." Lon'qu got up and lifted the tent flap.

"Yeesh, try to contain your excitement there." Lissa pouted as she walked in. "Most boys would cut off a leg for a cute girl to drop by and talk."

Lon'qu snorted. "Would you rather I paste on a fake grin every time you grace me with your presence?"

Lissa thought for a moment. "Well… no. On second thought, that would actually be pretty creepy, coming from you."

Lon'qu nodded in agreement. "Then this is what you get."

"All right, all right! You don't have to be so cold to me!" Lissa exclaimed. "I just miss you, y'know. You've been guarding me around the clock for so long, but in the past few days, I've barely gotten to see you!" Lissa sighed. "But I suppose you wouldn't understand how I feel, huh? I mean, you can't stand girls. All right, if you don't want me here, I'll just leave you in peace." She began to head for the exit of the tent.

"I… like when you come see me." Lon'qu choked out.

"Great, fine. I know where the door is." Lissa said, not registering what Lon'qu had just said. "You don't have to…." she stopped, and turned around. "Wait, what? I must not have heard you right, because I could've sworn I just heard that you enjoyed having a girl come bother you!"

"You heard me fine…" Lon'qu muttered. "And you are no bother… I also miss the time we used to spend together. This may come as a surprise, but I have something for you."

He offered Lissa the ring he'd been hiding in his hands.

"A ring?" Lissa looked at it closely. "A WEDDING ring!? I...I must be losing my mind! But wait, you hate women!"

"I don't HATE anyone." Lon'qu corrected. "Women have just made me nervous for quite some time. Recently, I was able to make peace with my mistakes in the past, which is why I'm able to offer you this ring right now."

Lon'qu scratched his head sheepishly. "Lately, I've found myself thinking of nothing but you." he admitted. "My every moment is consumed with you. If you will allow it, I swear to be with you and protect you for the rest of your days."

"Oh Lon'qu…" Lissa murmured, with tears beginning to form from sheer joy. "OF COURSE I'll allow it! And I'll watch your back and heal you when you're wounded too!" She put her hands on her hips. "But you have to be besides me always. No more distance!"

Lon'qu smiled. "No more distance." he agreed. As if making good on his promise, he pulled Lissa in for a hug, an act which the princess immediately returned.

**With Robin**

Robin was confused about who the hierophant was, and why he resembled the man so much. He decided that his best bet was to talk to Tharja. He made his way over to her tent.

As he was doing so, he saw Sumia dismount from her falicorn and run to hug Chrom.

'She must be back already… I guess it doesn't take too much time to get to Ylisstol and back traveling by air…' Robin thought to himself. 'Although I also don't know when she left in the first place… it could've been when I was still unconscious. Regardless, I think it's safe to assume that we have soldiers marching to Regna Ferox right now…'

Robin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize when he arrived at Tharja's tent.

"Who is it?" Tharja practically snarled when she realized there was someone outside her tent.

"It's me, Robin." he told her.

"R-robin?" Tharja's voice instantly grew softer. "Come in."

Robin did just that. "Hey, I was wondering something…"

"What is it?" Tharja asked him.

"Today, when we met with the Plegian king, he introduced a hierophant that looked EXACTLY like me… well, If I were a little older. Our faces practically looked identical. I was wondering if you know who that may be."

Tharja blinked in surprise. "I don't remember anyone in Plegia that matches that description." she leaned in close. "Do you… do you know the man's name?"

Robin chuckled. "That's just it. He claimed he was also named Robin. I don't know if he's an older brother of mine, or something. The resemblance between us is uncanny!"

Tharja furrowed her eyebrows. "No, there's no one like that when we were in Plegia. I'm sure of it. I don't know what type of black magic the new king is dabbling with, but whatever it is, it's pretty good stuff."

Robin sighed. "I suppose that's another enigma for me to solve at some point. Thanks anyways, Tharja." He got up to leave.

"You're welcome Robin…" Tharja muttered at his retreating form. "You always are."

**Later that night…**

Robin was having lucid dreams. Or rather, having lucid nightmares.

He was floating in the air, like a ghost. He recognized that he was in Castle Dohlr, from the time he'd been inside it after they'd killed Gangrel. He reached out to touch the walls, but found that his hand when right through it.

'I guess I can't interact with anything then. I'm just a spectator.' he mused to himself.

He saw a woman with white hair walking through the corridors with a lit candle. She passed by the man that he'd fought at the Midmire, General Mustafa, he remembered.

"Ah, good evening, milady Katarina." The general bowed. "Where might milady be off to at this hour?"

The woman known as Katarina smiled. "I'm off to see my son. I have to make sure he's sleeping well."

"Ah, he's a lucky lad, to have such a caring mother…" Mustafa began, as he leaned in close to her ear.

"I've assigned my men to drug to sentries on the eastern side of town." The general whispered into her ear. "Know that I support you. Take him to where it's safe." Katarina's eyes bulged for a moment, before she composed herself. "Good evening, general." she said as she continued on her way.

Robin floated near her, and followed her to another room. There were two guards standing outside.

"Stop! No one is allowed to enter, by order of the king." They said as they blocked her from entering.

"I'm the child's mother." Katarina explained. "Let me see him."

"I'm sorry, but even you cannot enter." The guards explained.

Katarina's eyes twitched. "Very well then." She reached into her cloak and pulled out a yellow tome. Before the guards could react, a bolt of Thoron had gone through their chests, killing the guards instantly. Ignoring the scorched corpses, Katarina sauntered into the room. Moments later, she returned with a baby in her arms.

She headed towards the stables, where her falicorn was kept. Once again, a pair of guards tried to stop her, especially since she had a baby in her arms. Katarina didn't even flinch. She casted Thoron without help from a tome, and blasted the the guards to death. She found the place where Belfire was resting, and woke her gently. After mounting the falicorn with the baby, they flew off towards the East.

As she flew over the city, she didn't encounter any resistance. She snuck a look back towards the castle, and sighed in relief to see that there wasn't any commotion. It's possible that they hadn't noticed her leaving yet.

She could almost taste her freedom. She was almost out of Dohlr, which meant Ylisse was just a few hours flight away. They'll be more understanding and her child will lead a happy life away from those seeking to harm him. After all, the Ylisseans share a common enemy with her.

All her hopes were crushed when she heard yelling below as she flew over the city walls. It seems not all the sentries were asleep. She prayed silently to whatever deity will listen to her that she can make it past them safely. Her prayers were not answered, and a stray arrow managed to hit Belfire in her side. Although not a fatal wound, the startled falicorn thrashed around for a split second, causing Katarina, who was unable to hold on due to the baby in her arms, to fall off and hurl towards the ground below. The distraught Belfire realized what she had done, and desperately flied after her rider, trying to catch her, but the wound proved too much for her. She ended up needing to worry about herself instead, and merely tried to stay airborne and not suffer the same fate herself.

Robin wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Just as the figure of Katarina was about to disappear into the forest below, time stopped. Everything and everyone stopped moving. Even Katarina, who was falling through the air, stopped falling and was suspended in midair.

Robin was extremely confused for a moment, until a voice began to talk to him.

"Funny how fate is, isn't it?" A figure cloaked in shadows approached him, also floating in the air.

"Fate?" Robin asked. "Who are you?"

The figure laughed. "I am one of the three parts of Grima. I happen to be the Consciousness."

"Grima?! The god of destruction?" Robin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "The evil god?"

"So much animosity…" the figure seemed to shake its head. "Such pessimism. Destruction doesn't have to be evil, dear Robin. Take a forest fire, for example. One of nature's most destructive natural occurrences. And yet, it provides the new plants with an abundance of nutrients to create an even grander forest. Without tearing down the old, nothing new can be created."

"That… makes sense." Robin conceded. "You said something about three parts? What do you mean?"

The figure chuckled. "A god has three components. Always. The three are the Drive, the Consciousness, and the Power. The Power is most self explanatory. Anyone without the power of a god cannot be one, after all. The Drive, or sometimes called the Purpose, is a god's meaning for existence. Without a purpose or goal, a god cannot be a god. The last one is me, the Consciousness. It is the part that's able to go and converse with someone like you. It is also necessary. A blizzard or a thunderstorm has a purpose and great power behind it, yet it is not a god because it has no consciousness. That's why, it's possible for something to have one, or even two parts, but a god is only truly in existence when all three parts are assembled."

Robin shook his head. That was a lot to take in. "So you're saying you are not evil?"

"That depends on who you ask. The Ylisseans you're with worship the Divine Dragon Naga, the god of creation and beginnings, which would be why they oppose me and brand me as evil. However, many of my servants, including that friend of yours, Tharja, might disagree."

"Tharja is your servant then?" Robin asked.

The figure laughed. "All of my believers are my servants, dear Robin."

"Then am I… was I one too?" Robin pressed.

The figure seemed to be amused by that question. "I won't divulge too much of your past, since my devoted servant Tharja wouldn't want me to, but I will tell you this. You weren't my servant. You mean much more to me than just a lowly servant."

"The hierophant…." Robin seemed to come to a realization. "Is that what this is about?"

The figure chuckled again. "Yes… I suppose you could say that… But I mustn't get too far ahead of myself. After all, this isn't why I came to visit you tonight."

Robin thought for a moment. "You mean the thing you said about fate?"

"Well, since I'm here, I may as well talk to you about it." The figure shrugged. "In the scene you just witnessed, one of the sentries HAPPENED to miss dinner that night, and even in the dark with the wild winds blowing, he HAPPENED to hit dear Katarina. In other words, one in a thousand chance multiplied by one in a thousand chance. If given another opportunity for the events to play out, Katarina would've likely gotten the baby to the safety of Ylisse…"

"What's your point?" Robin demanded.

"My point is that it's not a mere coincidence. What you've just witnessed is the combined effort of Grima's Drive and Power. I am, like you, merely a bystander. And yet, even after all of their efforts to keep the baby in Plegia, look where he still ended up?"

Robin couldn't see any hands or anything to indicate where the figure might have been pointing. He looked around, but didn't understand.

"But that's still not why I'm here tonight. I'm here to warn you. Warn you that you are needed somewhere else right now." The figure slowly moved towards Robin. "Just, remember what we talked about tonight. Grima isn't necessarily evil. It all depends on your perspective." With that, a tendril of shadows reached out and touched Robin's forehead. "Go now, my dear Robin. Your friends need you. This was not our first meeting, and it surely won't be the last. I look forward to seeing you… mature… in the future."

With that, a feeling of dread coursed through Robin's body, and he jolted awake.

Robin rose to a sitting position, panting hard. He felt his heart racing.

"What… what was that?" he wondered to himself. "It felt so… so real! Like I was actually there or something…"

He rested his head in his hands. "Am I going crazy? No… that voice… it said something about my friends needing me…" A sudden realization struck him. He quickly pulled out the Hekseer. As he activated it and the map began to project outwards, Robin paid close attention to the icons. Clustered around the center of the map were all of the familiar blue icons of the shepherds. But as it branched out further, he managed to spot one lonesome green icon a ways away from them. He was confused, but kept watching. As the map projected further out, Robin blanched. Numerous red icons appeared, and what's more, they were surrounded. Robin took a closer look at some of the red icons and found his suspicions to be correct. They were encircled by a large group of Risen.

"I have to warn everyone!" he muttered aloud. He quickly got dressed and ran outside.

Most of the shepherds were not so happy to be woken in the middle of the night. However, an attack is not something that any of them would be able to just sleep off. Reluctantly, they all geared up and prepared for combat.

"What's the plan?" Chrom asked once the shepherds were all assembled. Robin had just filled them in on the Risen ambush. "Why the sudden attack now of all times?"

"We are in a valley right now." Robin replied. "The Risen act like they actually have a plan or some sort of strategy this time, which is weird. They've completed an encirclement around us. The normal Risen would've just charged at us without much thought."

"So what does that mean?" Sully asked.

"It means these Risen are acting under the leadership of something, or someone. They're acting intelligently." Robin told her. "But there is some good news. I think I've found where the leader is. It is a Warrior Risen standing on the bridge to the north of us. I think that if we kill him, the rest of the Risen will once again revert to the aimless walking corpses we've fought in the past."

"But…" Robin continued. "There's also a large risk in that plan. If we were to fail, or if my deductions are wrong, it's highly likely that we would've backed ourselves into a corner. There are archers that will be able to shoot at us like fish in a barrel."

The shepherds murmured amongst themselves for a moment, before Chrom spoke. "We trust you. I think I can speak for all of us. If you think that taking the risk is the best course of action for victory, then we will all wholeheartedly support you." Chrom gave his tactician a smile. "Just give us the instructions."

The rest of the shepherds nodded in agreement.

Robin smiled. "All right then. Here is what we'll do: There's a small path leading up the hill on either side of us as we approach the bridge. Frederick and Kellam, I want you two to each take control of one side. If things go south, these two paths will be our emergency escape routes."

The heavily armored pair nodded. Robin turned to the others. "Cherche, Sumia, Nowi, and…" he paused for a moment and gave Cordelia a glance. She returned a determined look and nodded. "...and Cordelia." Robin continued. "Take Vaike, Chrom, Gregor and Gaius. Your job is to fly them onto the bridge so they can take out the Risen leader. They have a lot of archers, so be really careful."

Robin then addressed the mages and Virion. "Your job is to take out any of the archers that appear on the cliffs above us. Really, just kill any Risen that you see, but prioritize the archers if you can."

Robin finally turned to the rest of the melee fighters. "You all will be our southern vanguard. Do not let any of the Risen that approach us from the south get past you. Keep them off of us until we can take out the Risen leader."

Having finished his assignments, they were just about to begin their plan, when suddenly the shepherds were surrounded by a swarm of ravens.

"Wh-what's that!?" Chrom exclaimed in surprise. "A storm of… crows? Naga, it's upon us!"

"CAW! CAW!" the shepherds heard someone shout. "Are you folks lost? Or perhaps a lost CAWs? Nya ha!"

Tharja, recognizing the distinct laughter, was the first to respond. "Henry, get over here you son of a-"

She was interrupted by Chrom's frantic shouting as the ravens swarmed him. "I can't see anything through all these damned birds! Shoo! Get away!"

The birds dispersed, revealing a white haired, Plegian sorcerer. "What's wrong? CAW-strophobic? Nya ha ha! Oh, I slay me!"

"Not if these Risen do first!" Chrom told him. "This is no time for japes! Hide yourself boy!"

The mage ignored him and instead turned towards Tharja and Robin. "Heya! So this is where you two ran off to! I was seriously beginning to think that you two had really eloped!"

Robin looked confused. "I-i'm sorry, do I know you?"

Henry merely laughed. "Oh, I've never heard that one before! You really joke around more than I do, Robin!"

Tharja rolled his eyes. "He's not lying, Henry. He lost his memories."

Henry's brows furrowed. "Is that so? Here I was thinking that Robin finally learned to have a sense of humor."

"Wait, who is this? Tharja?" Robin asked the female sorcerer.

"He was also one of your… servants." Tharja told him.

"Actually," Henry corrected. "I prefer to be called-" he was interrupted by Tharja rushing over and placing a hand over his mouth. She leaned in close to him. "You know these guys are Ylisseans, right? How do you think they'd treat him if they knew he was a prince in Plegia?" she whispered.

Henry thought for a moment and nodded in understanding. "That was merely a joke. Tharja was right. We both served you back in Plegia. It would be an honor to serve you again." He bowed.

"Uh... thanks?" Robin said nervously. "You know magic?"

Henry twirled his fingers around in the air, causing some flames to flicker in the air. "KNOW magic? I was one of the best in Plegia!"

"Perfect." Robin said. "You can talk with the other mages. They'll fill you in on your role for this fight. In the meantime, we've wasted enough time already. The Risen will be upon us soon!"

The shepherds all mobilized and began their battle.

Kellam and Frederick rushed to their positions, taking on an enemy fighter each.

The four fliers rushed towards the bridge, going as fast as they can with their partners without putting themselves in view of the archers on the cliffs above them.

Speaking of the archers, they immediately began to fire at the southern vanguard of the shepherds. Henry and the other ranged units fired right back. Robin saw Henry blast Risen after Risen with a Ruin tome, one that he also had experience in using. He found that Henry was a lot more accurate than he initially expected, rarely missing a target once he set his eyes on them.

"Nya ha ha! This is so much fun!" Henry laughed as he blew up Risen after Risen. This earned him some concerned looks from the other shepherds. No one else was enjoying battling as much as Henry currently was. Not even Sully, who was usually the one most eager to fight.

Nevertheless, the shepherds recognized that Henry was a useful ally. The archers at the top of the cliffs were held back by his barrage of magic spells, and the spells and arrows of the other shepherds.

Stahl and Sully was leading the defense of the southern entrance to the valley. No one was able to get past Sully's heavy armor, nor the flashes of Stahl's sword. Lon'qu, Panne and Anna helped pick off the stragglers, and Libra and Lissa were instantly there to heal anyone that got an injury, no matter how trivial it seemed.

Robin smiled. Everything was going according to plan, at least for now. He turned around and saw that the fliers were ascending through the air now, to the top of the bridge towering above them. He heard the clashes of metal, and the thunk of an arrow flying through the air and hitting a target.

{We got him, Robin!} he heard Chrom tell him.

Robin immediately began to observe the Risen. Just like he had thought, they immediately became much less organized. Some began to wander around aimlessly, while others began to lazily continue to walk towards them. A few of them ran at the shepherds as fast as their decaying legs could carry them.

{These Risen have lost their ability to work as a unit!} Robin informed everyone. {Work together, and always have someone watching your back. We've dealt with these plenty before in the past. Try and single them out and attack them as a pair. They aren't too threatening alone.}

Indeed, the Risen had occasionally popped up once in a while in the past two years. However, most of the shepherds had plenty of experience dealing with them by now. As Robin instructed, the shepherds paired up and began to exterminate the Risen.

Stahl and Sully worked together, as usual, and left a trail of black smoke in their wake.

Chrom and Sumia also worked together, with Sumia throwing bolts of thunder at the Risen that Chrom kept occupied.

Virion and Ricken worked together, shooting at the same Risen in order to ensure its death.

Henry and Tharja also worked as a pair, reigniting their synergy as a famed pair of retainers from over two years ago.

Libra and Lissa moved as a pair, healing others when needed, and cutting down Risen with their axes when they were not.

Lon'qu and Olivia were a blur, slicing apart any Risen that got in their way. Olivia was finally getting good at using a sword. Not quite at Lon'qu's level, but definitely close.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the remaining Risen were all killed. The shepherds all took a moment to catch their breath and take a well deserved rest. Vaike and Sully gave each other a fist bump.

"That's the last of them." Chrom breathed to himself. He was sitting on the bridge with his legs dangling off the side. He had to admit, it was a beautiful view from there, especially since he was able to see all of the rest of the shepherds relaxing. "I thought that would never-"

Chrom was interrupted by a rustling sound behind him. He turned around and froze in surprise. A Risen assassin had somehow escaped from the shepherd's weapons and was charging him with a killing edge. Chrom was still sitting down. He began to get up, but there was no way he'd be in time to block the hit.

"Father, no!" He heard a female voice cry out. Marth leaped out from the shadows and blocked the assassin just in time. This gave Chrom enough time to draw his Falchion and end the Risen for good.

Marth breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Naga you're safe!" she exclaimed.

Chrom furrowed his eyebrows. "You called me father…" he said, half stating, half asking.

"Did I?" Marth had a nervous look on her face. "Perhaps we should have a talk then?"

Chrom nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we should then, yes."

Marth shook her head. "I… I don't even know where to begin."

"I already know you're not 'Marth'." Chrom offered. "Though I've nothing better to call you. However, I won't ask anything of you you do not wish to reveal. Whoever you are, Ylisse owes you a debt beyond repaying."

"Thank you…" Marth began. "But I think I'd prefer if you know the truth."

Chrom nodded. "As you wish."

"Here." Marth approached Chrom. "Look into my eyes, and all will be made clear."

Chrom is startled to see the brand of the exalt in Marth's eye. "That's… the brand of the exalt." he breathed. He looked at his own breath and took a moment to think. "Lucina…" he finally whispered.

Chrom's gaze lowered to the sword on 'Marth's' side. "You deserved better from me than one sword in a sea of troubles. I'm sorry."

Tears began to form in Lucina's eyes. They eventually began to run down her face. Chrom reached out and tried to wipe some of it away.

"Oh, father!" Lucina cried as she leaps into his arms and into a hug.

Chrom said nothing, but held Lucina tightly as he gave her some time to cry. After a while, her crying seemed to stop. "Better, Lucina?" he asked.

Lucina sniffled. "Yes, Father. … Sorry, it all just rushed back at once."

"Father…" Chrom whispered.

"Should I… do you want me to call you something else?" Lucina asked hesitantly.

Chrom shook his head. "No… it's just not something I'm used to… it's strange, but I think I like it."

"Father!" Lucina called him again, giggling slightly.

Chrom chuckled. "Yes, it will definitely take some time to get used to."

"I'm sorry, Chrom?" Robin asked from a few meters away. Chrom and Lucina turned to face him.

**One moment earlier…**

Robin was busy celebrating with the rest of the shepherds. It had been a rather clean victory after all. Vaike was busy flexing on his 'students', telling grand stories of all that he did during the fight. Mostly everyone was used to his playful arrogance by now, and simply laughed along and pretended to be amazed.

Cordelia was leaning against a tree, laughing with Sumia right by her side.

"Hey, where is old man?" Gregor suddenly asked. "Most gracious employer is not here for the joking around! Most unfortunate."

"'Yea, where IS Blue?" Gaius asked, simultaneously peeling the wrapper off a sucker.

"I dunno, but he's missing out on some grand heroics." Anna joked. "Taking THREE Risen on at the same time with just one hand? That's unheard of!"

"Yer damn right!" Vaike boasted. "I felt like fighting them normally wasn't a challenge after all."

"All right, we've got a long day tomorrow, so since everything is done for now, try to get back and get some rest." Robin told the rest of the shepherds. There were a few grumbles, but mostly everyone knew that Robin was just looking after all of them. They began to slowly make their way back to their tents.

Robin chuckled and made his way to Sumia. "C'mon, we should really go look for Chrom. I haven't seen him since the battle was over."

Sumia smiled. "Yeah. Let's go." she waved her best friend goodbye as she went off with Robin towards her falicorn. Belfire, like usual, greeted Robin affectionately. Sometimes, Sumia wondered if she liked Robin more than her own rider. Nutmeg certainly did not have this sort of interaction with the tactician.

The two got on the falicorn and took to the air. Robin noticed Chrom and 'Marth' first. "There!" he pointed them out to Sumia, who hurried to descend just several meters away. They dismounted.

Sumia was just about to run over and hug Chrom from behind, but covered her mouth in shock when he saw him hugging Marth. She silently began to break down.

Robin rubbed her shoulders comforting her. "Calm down, Sumia. I'm sure it's not what it looks like." 'It'd better not be.' he thought to himself, possibly out of jealousy, but he would never admit that out loud. "I'll go see what's up."

He approached the two. "I'm sorry, Chrom?" he asked. Chrom didn't notice, but Lucina flinched at his voice.

Chrom and 'Marth' broke from their embrace. He turned to Robin. "Hmm? What's up?"

"It's just that…" Robin began. He noticed the shocked expression on 'Marth's' face. It might have been his imagination, but he swore he saw her blushing. He ignored that for now. "You two are out here alone… and Marth is crying… Chrom, this is how ill rumors are born."

Chrom noticed for the first time, Sumia in the background shredding up some flowers.

"He loves me…" she pulled off one petal. "He loves me not… he loves me… he loves me not…" she repeated as she kept tearing off the petals.

"Sumia?" Chrom asked.

"I'm not spying on you!" Sumia exclaimed. "You can't prove that I am!" she turned to see Chrom approach with 'Marth'. "Oh Naga, you brought HER…" she whimpered.

"Can we tell her Lucina?" Chrom asked.

"Of course." 'Marth' replied.

"Lucina? But wait… that's…" Sumia began. Robin also came to the same conclusion, but didn't say anything. His eyes widened.

"Sumia, this will come as somewhat of a shock…" Chrom began. "But I'll just say it. This is our daughter… Lucina." he gestured at 'Marth'.

"What?" Sumia asked in disbelief.

"It's true! Sumia, I am your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself!" ''Marth' walked up to Sumia.

"Y-your eye! It has the brand!" Sumia exclaimed in shock.

"The same brand carried by all members of the royal family of Ylisse." Chrom nodded. "Do you see now?"

"No, Chrom, I do NOT see!" Sumia exclaimed. "This doesn't make any sense! Is my Lucina all right? What did you do to her!?"

Chrom held up his hand. "Peace, Sumia."

"Your baby is right where you left her." Lucina told Sumia. "She's perfectly safe. I come from another time. A time that is yet to be."

"You mean… the future?" Sumia asked skeptically.

"Yes." Lucina nodded. "More than ten years hence. After history took a most destructive turn... "

"What do you mean?" Sumia asked once again.

"The Plegians managed to resurrect the Fell Dragon, Grima." Lucina told them. "HIs roar is a death sentence for men, and his scream silences all hope… All of the shepherds died…"

"Wait… Chrom, all of us… dead?" Robin asked in disbelief.

Lucina nodded. "Yes."

Robin shook his head. "I don't know what to say."

"It's a tale that beggars belief." Chrom agreed. "And yet the proof stands right in front of us. She carries Falchion, my very same sword. There is only one Falchion, and so I believe her."

Robin nodded. "I believe her too. We saw her COME from the future… she fell right out of the sky!"

"Thank you… all of you…" Lucina said as tears began to well up. "Naga, the divine dragon, feared Grima would rise again. She devised a ritual that used up most of her power in order to send us back in time. It's a risky gamble, but she hoped that with our knowledge of the future, we'd be able to stop Grima in this timeline. I completed the journey with many of my friends… but we got separated."

Chrom nodded. "That's all right. If they're out there, we'll find them."

"Are you… really my daughter?" Sumia asked once again, still not quite believing her.

Lucina nodded. "I swear on my life."

"You grow up… er… grew up to be so strong… so beautiful…" Sumia praised.

"Thank you… Sumia." Lucina responded.

"You don't want to call me mother?" Sumia asked.

"I… I thought you'd mind." Lucina admitted.

"Of course not!" Sumia looked shocked. "I love you more than anything in the world!"

Lucina began to sniffle again. "Oh mother!" she ran into Sumia's arms.

"I'm so proud of you…" Sumia whispered to her.

"I've missed you more than you'll ever know…" Lucina sobbed.

After they finished embracing, Lucina dried her tears. She looked around. "Um… where's Robin?" she asked.

"Hmm? Did you know him in the future?" Chrom asked.

Lucina nodded, biting her lip. "He was… he was like an uncle to me." she admitted, which was the truth.

Chrom chuckled. "Then I'm glad that Robin and I were that close in the future as well. He probably headed back to his tent to rest. We DO have a long day tomorrow."

Sumia smiled. "We can spread out another bedroll, and you can stay with us in our tent tonight Lucina." she offered.

Lucina smiled. "Yes, that sounds wonderful." The trio talked and laughed some more on their way back to the tent. Lucina was slightly upset that she wasn't able to have a talk with Robin tonight, but understood that he must have been tired, especially after directing a battle. She smiled wistfully. 'I'm sure I'll get other chances in the future, now that I guess I'm staying with the shepherds. The ACTUAL shepherds!' she thought to herself. Things were pretty good for her at the moment.

What the trio did not notice was Robin sneakily running back to his tent while Sumia and Lucina embraced each other. What ROBIN didn't notice was when he entered his enraged state from distress. He ended up running back to his tent faster than any human should have been able to.

He made his way into the tent and flopped down on the bedroll. He nervously laughed for a moment. "Just my dumb luck, huh?" Robin smiled wistfully. "The one person you've ever held feelings for… and it turns out to actually be your best friend's daughter…" He laughed again out of disbelief. "What the fuck is even going on? She could've been LITERALLY anyone else in the world, and yet… things just HAPPEN to turn out this way… Now I gotta find someone else to be infatuated with… but how will I even find that someone? Will I ever find that someone?"

Robin sat up and sighed in exasperation. "This feeling… this hopelessness… I've never felt anything like this before." he murmured to himself. "I can't even describe how sad I am right now, even if I wanted to."

He reached out with his left hand into an astral plane and pulled out the bottle of Feroxi wine he'd bought several days ago. He snapped with his right hand, and for the very first time, casted magic without the help of a tome. Robin didn't even notice. He simply guided the flicker of flames on the tips of his fingers to the bottle so he could read the label.

"Tragedies and mourning, huh?" Robin scoffed at himself. "This seems like one of those moments if I've ever seen one." He put out the fire at the fingertips of his right hand and pulled the cork off the bottle-something that he wouldn't have been able to do if he weren't in an enraged state- and brought the neck of the bottle to his nose.

He breathed in the scent of alcohol. "Well... bottoms up, I guess." He lifted the bottle to his lips and drank. He downed the entire bottle before his eyes stopped glowing.

**Sometime in the distant future…**

Lucina was in her bed. Mister Robin was reading her another bedtime story. Normally, Lucina really really REALLY enjoyed these moments, but it was difficult for her to pay attention this time because of the large thunderstorm occurring outside. The lightning and the thunder scared her every time, and caused her to dive under the covers.

The door to her room opened, and Lucina shrieked in surprise. However, it turned out to just be her mother.

"Robin dear, Chrom says you should stay at the castle tonight." Sumia said to the tactician as she poked her head in. "It's a long trek back to the shepherd's village, especially since it's storming so hard outside right now."

Robin nodded. "All right, I'll stay in one of the guest rooms then?" he asked. "Does it matter to you which one?"

Sumia shook her head. "Whichever one looks the best to you. Pick any one you'd like."

Robin nodded. "Got it."

"Mister Robin can stay in my room!" Lucina half offered, half demanded.

"Now Lucina dear…" Sumia began.

"Please, please, PLEASE?" Lucina practically begged. "I have a big bed, and the storm is scaring me!"

"If you're scared, you can come sleep in mommy and daddy's room." Sumia offered.

"No! I want to sleep here." Lucina said stubbornly. "But I also want mister Robin to stay here too!"

Robin and Sumia looked at each other. Sumia shrugged and made a face that said 'up to you'. Robin sighed and smiled at the little princess. "All right then. I'll stay here tonight. But I have to go get ready for bed now. I'll be back in a few moments." He got up and left the room with Sumia.

Lucina pumped both her fists into the air. "Yes!" she exclaimed happily, but immediately shrieked in surprise and hid back under the covers as another bolt of lightning arced through the air outside her window.

A few moments, and possibly the longest moments of Lucina's life, later, Robin returned to the room. He laid down on the edge of the bed with his back facing Lucina.

"All right, you don't have to be afraid of the storm now. I'll be here to protect you." Robin said.

"Promise? You'll always be there to protect me?" Lucina asked innocently.

Robin looked over his shoulders and smiled. "Promise." he whispered to her.

That was all Lucina needed to hear. She laid down next to Robin and nuzzled her face into the tactician's back. He smelled really good.

Despite the loud thunderstorm outside, Lucina slept soundly that night.

**Cherche: Class Change: Wyvern Lord**

**Olivia: Class Change: Swordmaster**

**Henry: Class Change: Sorcerer**


	22. Flames on the Blue

**Author's Notes:**

**I seem to have forgotten to add Lucina at the end of the footnotes in the last chapter, so I will append it to the end of the author's notes in this chapter.**

**More shepherds are getting married now. Also, I dropped a pretty obvious hint about another pairing in addition in this chapter! One of my readers actually hinted it in a review (You know who you are), and I'm happy to say that you're right!**

**But wait! There's more! In the next several chapters, more and more of the shepherds will begin to become engaged, so there will be many more reveals coming in the near future.**

**Enough for now, here's chapter 22:**

**Lucina: HP: 80% Str: 55% Mag: 15% Skl: 65% Spd: 65% Lck: 70% Def: 35% Res: 30%**

**Class: Lord**

**Age: 17**

**Carrion Isle…**

By the time Robin woke up, he could already hear the commotion of the rest of the shepherds tearing down camp outside. He glanced at the empty bottle still in his left hand.

"It was a moment of weakness." he muttered to himself. "Never again. I'll sort this stuff out when I have time back at Ylisstol. Right now, I need to focus on the campaign to Valm. War is looming over us, and I'm still here crying about matters of the heart." he chuckled to himself. "Who knows whether I even survive the war? There's no use thinking about these types of things until it's over, that much I'm sure."

He inspected the label on the bottle. "One thing's for sure, I can't let anyone find out about this guy. What to do… what to do?" he sighed, and settled for the safest option: Hiding the empty bottle in an astral plane until he had a way of disposing of it.

He got up and rolled up his bedroll. He carried it outside to the cart where everyone's bedrolls were.

"Hey Robin!" Anna waved at him on the other side of the cart. "We thought you'd never get up! Chrom said that if you didn't get up in a few minutes, we should tear the tent down around you."

Robin smiled at her. "Has it really been that long?"

Anna nodded. "Yup! Almost everyone is getting finished tearing down! All's left is a couple more tents, including yours, and we can board the ships! C'mon, I'll help you with yours!"

At this, Anna walked around next to Robin, and for the first time, got a good look at his face.

"Naga, what happened to you?" she exclaimed in shock, gesturing to his eyes.

Robin lifted a hand and felt the area underneath his eyes. There were two obvious bags there. He waved his hand. "It's nothing, I just didn't sleep well last night. It'll be better in a few hours."

That much was true. Between the nightmares, the Risen attacks and his drinking, Robin had several good reasons why he hadn't slept the best. However, Anna was not satisfied with the answer.

"I'll try to get some tonics the next time I go restock my wares that will help you sleep better." she offered. "I'll even do it for free!"

Robin chuckled. "It's greatly appreciated, but I don't think that's necessary."

Anna pouted. "Oh come on! I NEVER give out anything for free! Learn to appreciate it when a woman gives you attention!"

Robin's expression fell. "Yeah… maybe that's what I need to learn how to do in the future…" he muttered to himself.

Anna seemed to notice this change in mood. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern.

Robin looked up and plastered a fake smile on his face. "Nothing! If you really want to get some sleep tonics for me, then I guess the best thing for me to do is graciously accept it."

"THAT's more like it!" Anna winked and held up an index finger. "Now c'mon! Everyone's waiting for you. That tent won't tear itself down!"

Anna led him away by the hand back towards his tent.

It honestly didn't take much time at all. Especially since Gaius also came over and helped him out.

"Hey Bubbles!" the thief nudged Robin. "Get a load 'o this! Y'seen that blue haired girl?" He discretely pointed towards Lucina, who was busy talking to Lissa about something. Robin felt his heart ache a little, but nodded. "Yeah. That's Lucina."

"Well, thing is, Blue says that it's his daughter! Who the hell'd believe that!?" Gaius said as he began to laugh.

"Gaius, you clearly didn't listen to him when he introduced her!" Anna interjected. "She traveled back in time from the future!"

"What the hell?" Gaius exclaimed. "You believe that?"

Robin nodded. "I was there when she fell out of a portal in the sky." he admitted. "And the advice she gave us, well, it's hard to argue that she was NOT from the future since she knew all that ahead of time."

Gaius scratched his head. "Well, maybe I wasn't paying the most attention, but how'd I manage to miss all that?"

"And…" Robin continued. "That's not even all. She bears the brand of the exalt in the same place as Chrom's daughter in this timeline, and also has Chrom's Falchion: A sacred sword that Chrom says is unique. As hard as it is to believe, any other explanation is just as flawed."

At this point, the three had finished packing up the tent. "Well, since Bubbles says so, I guess there's nothing to be done but believe him." he gestured to some of the other shepherds. "I think a few more of us didn't buy it. I'd better go over and tell them what's what then."

Robin nodded. "All right then, thanks Gaius." He and Anna carried the packed up tent over to the designated cart.

Everything had been packed up, and so the shepherds began to file onto the Plegian warships. The Plegians had offered just enough soldiers to sail all the ships to Ferox, and will have them march back down to Plegia afterwards. This meant that the ships were largely vacant, and all the shepherds made themselves comfortable on one ship.

The ships soon set sail. Most of the shepherds were above deck, enjoying the sun and warm ocean breeze as they sailed fairly close to the coast.

Gregor and Vaike were horsing around and wrestling each other, offering the rest of the shepherds an enjoyable fight to watch. Apparently, Gregor had provoked Vaike by claiming that he was clearly stronger, which caused the axeman to challenge him.

Robin was leaning against the gunwale, laughing along with the rest of the shepherds and in general having a good time. Oddly, he didn't seem to suffer from any form of hangover from the last night. In fact, with everything happening around him and all the new experiences, he'd completely forgotten about the previous evening.

However, this blissful feeling was shattered as Lucina approached him.

"Um… Robin?" she nervously asked.

Robin's expression went from one full of happiness to a serious one in the blink of an eye as he turned his attention from Vaike and Gregor to the Ylissean princess.

"Hello Lucina." he said. "What can I do for you?"

He didn't seem to notice his sudden change of expression, but Lucina certainly did. 'Does he… have something against me?' she wondered to herself. 'I hope it wasn't something I did…'

"Um… well I was hoping... that… um… well, that we could maybe talk?" Lucina nervously squeaked.

"Oh?" Robin raised his eyebrows. "About what?"

"Well..." Lucina's eyes darted to the side for a split second. "I was hoping we could talk… um… alone."

Robin turned his head back towards Vaike and Gregor and blinked a couple of times. "All right." he finally said. He gestured towards the staircase leading below deck. "After you."

To Lucina's relief, everyone was up enjoying the nice weather, which meant she and Robin were alone below deck. She finally had an opportunity to look at Robin up close. Under the candlelight, she was able to appreciate just how good looking Robin was. He looked several years younger than how she remembered last seeing him, not to mention their age difference had shrunk to almost a tenth of what it used to be. In Lucina's opinion, the current Robin seemed even more handsome and attractive to her than the one from her time, assuming their personalities were the same. However, this was probably the case since they ARE the same person after all.

Her adoring gaze was broken when Robin spoke. "Well, what did you have to say to me that requires this level of secrecy?"

She immediately snapped out of her daydream and back into reality. "Um… Y-yes." she eventually stammered. "There's something important I wanted to talk to you about… and only you." she quickly added.

Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "That sounds ominous, doesn't it?"

"Well," Lucina continued. "It's about the specifics of my own, terrible time. I've already told father… Chrom… much of it, but I think you also need to understand its import."

"All right then." Robin nodded. "I'm listening."

"In the future, almost no corner of our world is safe for humans. Risen prowl the land as masters of all. The people cower in terror, helpless." Lucina explained. "No one could do anything against the Fell Dragon once he had been resurrected. The remaining survivors gathered at the castles of each city, sending people out to find food and resources during the day, and hunkering down and hoping to not get attacked during the night. We had to do everything in our power just to survive."

"That…" Robin paused for a moment. "That sounds like a nightmare come true. I can hardly imagine it."

"It's hell on earth." Lucina told him, gritting her teeth. "That's why we CANNOT lose this war against Valm. Every person that dies in it will be one less fighter against the Grimleal in the near future."

Robin chuckled. Lucina couldn't help but find his laugh extremely attractive. "You certainly are putting a lot of pressure on me then." he eventually said. "But worry not. After all, near zero casualties is always my goal."

He smiled at Lucina, a genuine smile, and Lucina's heart skipped a beat. "I'll do everything in my power, Lucina. I swear it."

"T-that's exactly what I wanted to hear." Lucina managed to get out.

"Is that it then?" Robin asked. "Or is there something else?"

Lucina bit her lip. "Um… I think that's all… for now at least."

Robin chuckled. "Well, if there's anything else you need to tell me, don't hesitate. I'll be happy to listen." He rose from the table and began to head back upstairs.

"W-wait!" Lucina suddenly exclaimed.

Robin turned his head around. "Hmm?"

"I um… I just… wanted to…" Lucina stammered. "I mean… I was wondering… if we can… if it's all right for us to be… friends?"

Robin paused for a moment, before he began to laugh. "Lissa always says, all the shepherds are friends with one another, and since you're a shepherd now, of course we'd be friends." He turned back around and raised his right hand in the air. "Well, I'm heading back up now, the rocking of the boat is making me a bit nauseous down here. Let me know if you need anything."

He proceeded to walk back up above deck. When he was sure he was out of earshot and view of the princess, he shook his head and snorted. "Friends, huh? I guess that's the best I could ever hope for. What a joke." Robin walked back over and joined the rest of the shepherds.

Meanwhile, for Lucina, she could feel her heart pounding inside her chest for several minutes after Robin had left. "I think… that went all right…" she murmured to herself. "He does seem to be a lot colder than I remembered... " She thought for a long moment. "I guess it's much harder to be mean towards young children though… and I guess I am technically a stranger to him right now."

She continued to sit at the table, and put her hands around her head. "Ugh! Why does this have to be so difficult?" She laid her head down on the table and began to groan. "I really hope he'll be the nice Robin that I knew once he warms up to me…"

She ended up staying at that table, daydreaming, until the boat reached the Feroxi ports. She only got up when Donnel came to inform her that they had landed and were getting off the boats now.

**With Robin…**

The shepherds were welcomed back in Regna Ferox by Flavia and Basilio themselves. The Plegian soldiers, after making sure the boats were all secure in the Feroxi ports, bid them farewell and good luck as they prepared to make the long trek back to Plegia immediately.

"So I see you've got your ships." Basilio said, once the khans were alone with Chrom and Robin.

Chrom nodded. "Plegia was able to offer everything, except for soldiers."

"And don't forget the oil!" Robin jokingly added. "They've supplied enough oil to light our lamps for ten centuries!" Everyone had a chuckle at that.

"Yes, I suppose we'll definitely need to find a use for all of that." Chrom smirked.

"That is rather generous of them… maybe they'll be more neighborly than the last king." Flavia smiled. "Oh, by the way, your soldiers also arrived from Ylisstol this morning. They set up camp near the ports, and will be ready to board the ships with the Feroxi soldiers at a moment's notice."

"Good." Chrom nodded. "What say we take the rest of the evening off, and set sail for Valm tomorrow morning?"

"Ay, that would be best." Basilio agreed. "Your soldiers are tired at the moment, and since I don't think anyone here has done a lot of sailing, it's better to get them accustomed to it during the day, rather than at night."

"Our scouts have reported that a larger fleet of Valmese ships are coming for our continent, and will arrive in a day or two." Flavia offered. "If we set sail tomorrow, we should be able to catch them out at sea."

Robin smiled. "And we'll be able to largely nullify their cavalry advantage."

"All right then." Chrom said with resolve. "I'll notify the shepherds they can have the evening off. We'll set sail tomorrow at dawn. Is there an inn we're able to stay at, or shall we set up camp?"

"I've got a place you all can stay. I'll show it to you in a moment." Flavia told him.

"Just a minute!" Basilio exclaimed. "I noticed there were a couple of fresh faces that got off the boat with y'all. Did you pick up some new people?" He gestured towards where the rest of the shepherds were waiting.

"Oh, the white haired sorcerer is Henry." Robin said. "He's a Plegian, and apparently he also used to work for me when I was still in Plegia as well."

"What about the lass with blue hair?" Basilio asked, squinting towards the shepherds.

"What, you like what you see?" Robin smirked. "Fancying your chances with her?"

"R-Robin!" Chrom protested.

"I'm kidding, kidding." Robin raised his arms defensively.

Basilio laughed. "She looks a bit too young for me. Does this mean she's related to Chrom somehow? His reaction made me think as much."

"Bingo!" Robin raised an index finger into the air. "She's this old fart's daughter, to be exact."

Basilio and Flavia both chuckled, thinking it was a joke. They were a little startled to see both Robin and Chrom keep their composure.

"I wasn't joking." Robin said in a serious tone.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Basilio asked. "How's that even possible? She barely looks a few years younger than him."

Chrom rolled his eyes. "It's a LONG story." he gestured towards the direction of the town. "C'mon, Flavia. I'll tell you while you show me where we're staying."

"Hey! You can't leave me out of the conversation now that you've dropped that one on me!" Basilio protested. "I'm coming with you."

"You weren't invited oaf, go away." Flavia teased, but Basilio ignored her. The three headed off towards the town. Robin chuckled, and headed back towards the shepherds, who were waiting expectantly.

"We're staying here for the night." was the first thing he told the rest of them when he rejoined them. "Chrom'll tell you where it will be soon. Flavia's showing him the inn right now." He took a good look at them. "What the hell are you guys doing?" His gaze was directed at Vaike, who was standing in the middle with the shepherds spread out in a circle around him.

Gaius smirked. "Vaike here was just telling us tall tales!"

"Hey!" the blonde protested. "It's all true!"

Sully laughed. "Tell me about it. You doing something useful during a fight? Don't make me laugh!"

"And I bet your re-enactments are on point too!" Ricken chuckled.

"I do think he's making a good effort…" Olivia murmured, giving the axeman some credit.

Even the newest shepherds, Henry and Lucina seemed to be amused by Vaike's antics.

"Well," Robin smiled. "I really hate to interrupt you, brave Vaike. Please, continue to grace us with the retelling of your heroics." He bowed dramatically, making Vaike swell up with pride. Lucina smiled, finally getting to see the friendlier side of her long time crush for the first time since she went back through time.

"Well, as I was saying…" Vaike began.

"Oh brother, here we go…." Sully muttered, rolling her eyes.

The shepherds kept themselves entertained with Vaike's storytelling until Chrom returned with the Khans.

"All right, everyone!" Chrom said as he rejoined his shepherds. "You all can leave our stuff on the ship. Take only what you need for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll get on the same ship again, but other than that, you're free for the night right after I show you all where we're staying."

The shepherds nodded. Some of the more overzealous shepherds had to put some of their stuff back on the boat, but eventually everyone was ready to head for the inn.

"All right then, I'll leave you all to it." Flavia said as she waved her goodbyes. "See you all bright and early tomorrow!" The shepherds waved back, and headed off towards the inn.

After everyone had checked in and had dinner, the sun had completely set. Most of the shepherds either went to their own rooms, or gathered around in a designated person's room and rested for the night. Robin, on the other hand, opted to go visit some of the shops in town. He was actually looking for one specific thing: alcohol.

If he had been honest with himself, having something to drink really had made him feel better. He didn't want to ever feel that sad again, but realistically, they were going to suffer some loses against the much more militant Valmese nation. Just to be sure, he bought two more bottles of wine. It was slightly different from the last one he bought, but they WERE in a different Feroxi town. Before exiting the shop, he stored them in an astral plane, startling the Feroxi shopkeeper.

When he stepped outside, he took a breath of the refreshingly cold nighttime Feroxi air. "Time to head back to the inn." he sighed to himself.

As he was walking back into the inn, he caught Cordelia just as she was walking out.

"Oh, I didn't expect to see you out here Robin!" The redhead exclaimed.

"Yeah, I went for a little last minute shopping before we leave Regna Ferox." Robin explained. That much was true.

"Shopping? What did you buy? I don't see you carrying anything." Cordelia looked at him quizzically.

'Shit.' Robin thought, not quite thinking everything through. "I, uh… went to the bookstore." he reached into the astral plane and pulled out a book. It was a pretty worn out book that Robin owned for quite some time, but he hoped Cordelia didn't know that.

Cordelia seemed to buy it though. She shook her head. "Even as we're going off to war, you can't help but find something else to read. Honestly, you're even worse than Miriel."

Robin shrugged. "I guess I am."

"Well, I'm about to go take a walk. I can't take a walk along the sea in Ylisse, after all. Want to come with me?" she offered.

Robin smiled. "Sure, why not? It'll be an interesting experience."

The two set off for the coast, and began to take a walk under the moonlight.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina couldn't sleep. She rolled around her bed, not quite used to actually having a soft mattress to sleep on after getting used to the ground for several years. Also, the butterflies in her stomach at the aspect of actually being apart of the war against Valm didn't help either. What if she messes everything up? What if someone that didn't die before died because she was here and therefore the future has changed? What if that someone is one of her friends' parents?

She finally sat up in her bed. "Ugh…." she moaned as she rubbed her eyes with her hands. "There's no use… I just can't sleep."

Her thoughts gradually began to drift to Robin. She still can't quite believe that she's back with Robin again. She had spent several years in her own timeline without his presence, and it didn't feel good at all. All those dark nights would've been so much easier if only Robin had been there with her.

Lucina knew for a fact that Robin was unmarried in her own timeline. She'd overhear him talking with her parents about how it was impossible for him to find a girl, since he wouldn't know whether they'd want him out of love or because of his social and political position. So now in THIS timeline, all she had to do was show him that she actually loved him to win him over, right?

"Easier said than done…" Lucina muttered to herself. This was true. She didn't have any idea of how she should approach the issue. She couldn't exactly go up to him and just proclaim her love for him, right? After all, he barely knows her in this timeline. No, that would surely go very poorly. She briefly imagined just running up to Robin and kissing him and telling him how she felt, but immediately began to blush. She hid back under the covers in embarrassment at just the thought of it.

Should she become better friends with him then? How should she do that? Spend time with him? She thought hard about how she got to meet all of her friends. They mostly were because she got introduced to them by her parents. And they became better friends through playing together. She couldn't exactly do THAT with Robin, right? They weren't kids after all. So what is it that 'adults' do to get to know one another? "Maybe… maybe I just have to talk to him some more." Lucina murmured, while she wrapped her blanket around herself like a cacoon. "I guess that's where I have to start."

She tried to lie back down, but it was even more difficult to fall asleep now. She had a goal in mind, and not being able to work towards it was making her uneasy. "Maybe Robin is still awake…" Lucina wondered to herself. "Perhaps I CAN have a talk with him right now!"

Feeling extremely optimistic, she got up and quietly walked out of her room. She tiptoed around the inn's hallways as to not disrupt the sleep of anyone else. Although she hadn't paid attention to exactly who was assigned which room, Robin's room was one she couldn't ignore. She slowly made her way over. She stopped right in front of her door.

"Will he still be awake?" Lucina wondered to herself, beginning to have some second thoughts. "Maybe he's sleeping already… and even if he were awake, would he even want to talk to me? He seemed pretty irritated with me earlier today…" Lucina rubbed her cheeks with her hands and sighed in frustration. "C'mon Lucy, it's not that difficult. It's just a talk. Nothing too difficult! Just politely ask him."

She finally worked up some courage and knocked on the door. "Robin?" she quietly whispered. She waited for a few moments, but there was no response. She knocked once again. "Maybe he IS really asleep…" Lucina murmured, feeling quite discouraged. She began to sulk back to her own room.

While she was feeling dejected, she had accidentally made a wrong turn that lead her to the staircase leading down to the entrance of the inn. She sighed and shook her head at her silly mistake, and was about to turn back for the rooms, but noticed a figure sitting downstairs, in the main lobby.

She rubbed her eyes, and found Miriel reading a book on one of the couches in the atrium. She quietly made her way down.

"Um, excuse me?" Lucina asked the bookworm. Miriel looked up. "Oh, Lucina. What did you need at this hour?"

"Um, I was just wondering what YOU were doing out here." Lucina admitted.

Miriel chuckled. "I was just doing some late night reading. I find that my concentration is better in spaces that are slightly more… expanded." she told Lucina. "But being down here has its own drawbacks. I am frequently disturbed by all the shepherds entering and leaving."

"You… I mean… do you keep track of all that?" Lucina asked.

Miriel smiled. "Although it is not my intention, I must confess that, yes, I do keep a record of it mentally."

"Do you… do you know if Robin has left recently?" Lucina asked hopefully.

Miriel thought for a moment. "Robin… I think I saw him returning earlier… but I didn't see him leave before that. Although…" She adjusted her glasses. "I believe he was coming back just as Cordelia was about to leave, but for whatever reason, he has elected to go with Cordelia instead of retreating to his room. They have yet to return."

"You mean… they're still outside? This late at night?" Lucina asked.

"Unless they've elected to enter their rooms by climbing through the windows, I cannot see any plausible explanation to why they would not be." Miriel said, matter of factly.

"T-thanks, Miriel." Lucina said before retreating back to her room. Her eyes turned to Miriel's hand that was holding her book, which had a ring on her ring finger.

"Um… is that new?" she pointed at it.

Miriel looked at what Lucina had been gesturing to. "Ah yes. Recently, I've been informed of my… condition by Vaike. Our conclusion has been that the only cure for it is a connubial relationship."

"You're getting married." Lucina translated. Miriel nodded. "That's an astute summary."

"Well, congratulations!" Lucina told her, before heading back to her own room. She'd always wondered how Laurent's parents got together, since they were so different, but I guess some things were meant to be, regardless of which timeline she was in.

Eventually, the elation for Laurent's parents getting together had passed. 'What's Robin doing with Cordelia this late at night?' she wondered. She felt a little bit jealous, but also was not too worried. After all, Cordelia was Severa's mother, so she knew exactly who Cordelia married. She then had a sudden thought. 'What if things turn out differently in this timeline?' Robin HAD been pretty close to Cordelia, after all. Suddenly, an uneasy feeling formed in her stomach. She wanted to run out there and find them, but there were several things wrong with that. First of all, she didn't know where to look. She could just be out there exhausting herself when she should be resting for tomorrow. And even if she somehow got lucky and found exactly where they were, Robin might be annoyed, and possibly even angry that she interrupted them.

"Oh no…." she muttered to herself as she covered her face with her hands. Everything seemed to be not going her way tonight. She groaned, and decided there's nothing she could do, and elected to try and go back to bed. 'Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.' she told herself. She rolled around in her bed for another hour, mind racing over this potential issue. Then, and only then, was she tired enough to be able to fall asleep.

**With Robin and Cordelia…**

Robin and Cordelia were walking along the edge of the sea, talking about many things and just enjoying each other's company and the nighttime air.

Cordelia was also able to vent some of her frustrations to Robin, as he was one of the only shepherds that understood how she had felt about Chrom and Sumia. Admittingly, one of the only other shepherds that would know about it is Sumia, but there's no way she'd vent to her about this particular issue.

"... and I just keep thinking to myself, if I had only done THIS differently, or THAT differently, maybe I would be the one that ends up with Chrom…" Cordelia told Robin. "Sometimes I think that that's what frustrates me the most. I look back, and look at all the stupid decisions that I made, and think about exactly what I should have to done to put me in a better position."

Robin nodded, mostly just listening to Cordelia as she vented. She imagined Cordelia as Sumia for a split second, and couldn't hold back a little chuckle.

"What?" Cordelia asked him. "Did you find something I said absurd?"

"No, no." Robin immediately responded. "It's just… I had an imagination: What if you HAD ended up with Chrom? Would I be having a similar conversation with Sumia right now?"

Cordelia stopped walking and stared at Robin. "I've… never actually thought about it like that." she admitted. "One of us was bound to be disappointed."

Robin stopped walking too and turned to face her. "That's exactly what I was thinking." he nodded.

Cordelia crossed her arms and made a face. "Well, since you put it THAT way… I suppose that even though I'm still jealous of Sumia, I wouldn't want her to be in my position right now either… And I guess it's not so bad. I still get to see Chrom pretty much every day. I just have to accept that he'll treat me like a sister instead of a wife."

Robin smiled. "Well, there you go then."

'I'm actually amazed at how far Cordelia has come since that day she decided to open up to me.' Robin thought to himself. He sighed. 'If I ever get lucky enough for a decent girl to be that in love with me, I'd have to make sure I never break her heart. Instead, I'd treasure her and hold her close forever.' he chuckled at himself for how cliche that sounded.

"What now?" Cordelia asked him, and honestly, Robin had forgotten she was even there while he was deep in though. "N-nothing!" he held up his hands defensively.

**At this very moment…**

Back at the inn, Lucina, despite being severely wrapped up in her blanket, let out a loud sneeze. "Oh no…" she moaned. "Don't tell me I'm coming down with a cold… just before the campaign to Valm too… was it because I was running around in my sleep clothes earlier?" She wriggled around underneath her blankets and tried to imagine that Robin was sleeping next to her. She tried to imagine the warm feeling of lying next to him and his comforting smell. As embarrassing as it sounded, it DID help her gradually begin to fall asleep.

**Back with Robin and Cordelia…**

"Robin?" The redhead suddenly asked. "Can I ask you a serious question?"

Robin smirked. "Oh? Does this mean everything we've been talking about just now hasn't been serious?"

Cordelia playfully hit the tactician on the shoulder. "You know what I really mean."

Robin chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I do. What is it?"

"Is it… Do you think… I mean…" Cordelia began, seeming to struggle with asking the question.

"Take your time." Robin nodded. "I'm listening."

"Would it be possible for someone to… develop feelings for someone they initially hated?" Cordelia finally asked.

Robin was taken aback for a moment. "Well," he began. "It would depend."

"Depend on what?" Cordelia curiously asked.

He took a moment for formulate an answer before continuing to respond. "Well, let me give you an example." he finally said. "Let's say that you were vehemently against the color blue for whatever reason. And therefore, when you first meet someone like Chrom, you hate him because his hair is blue colored."

"Why would I hate someone over something as trivial as that?" Cordelia asked.

"It's just an example." Robin responded. "Now, it's true that it will probably be unlikely that you'll all of a sudden change your opinion and begin to love the color blue. But," Robin held up two fingers. "I can see two possible ways for your feelings to change. Number one, you get to know the person more, and begin to see that there's more to them than just their blue hair. For example, you see Chrom's personality, his strength, his compassion, and you decide that these traits overtake your hatred for the color blue. Or there's number two. Chrom decides that he also doesn't like the color blue anymore, and decides to dye his hair red. Then your problem with him would also disappear, right?"

Cordelia listened closely, and seemed to reach a revelation. "Hmm… I think it might be a combination of both of them…." she muttered to herself.

"So then…." Robin nudged her. "I'm assuming there's an application of this to your own interests, since you're asking?"

Cordelia was glad it was relatively dark outside, or Robin would've been able to see just how much she was blushing. She didn't answer him, which, to Robin, was an answer in and of itself.

"Well…." Robin leaned in and smiled. "Who is it? Hmm?"

Cordelia turned her head away from him. "I'm… I'm not telling you!"

Robin chuckled. "I suppose I shouldn't pressure you into telling me anything you don't want to. However, even if you don't tell me, I still have a pretty good guess as to who it might be."

Cordelia's eyes widened. "No! You can't tell him!"

Robin laughed. Not chuckled, actually laughed. "Cordelia! We're friends. You know me better than that. I may be amused just knowing, but I would never ruin it for you by telling him."

"You'd better not!" Cordelia pouted. She let out a soft sneeze. Unlike a certain blue haired princess, this one WAS due to how cold it was.

Robin looked at Cordelia for a moment. He shrugged and took off his cloak. He moved behind Cordelia and used it to cover the redhead.

"R-robin?" Cordelia squeaked in surprise. "Aren't you cold?"

Robin smiled. "Don't worry about me! I can't even feel the cold." This was actually true. Robin always wore his cloak over his regular clothes, no matter how hot or how cold it was outside. The temperature just never seemed to bother him at all. He wore the cloak because it was comfortable.

Cordelia nodded, and graciously accepted the kind gesture.

"C'mon, it's pretty late. We really should head back to the inn." Robin said. Cordelia nodded, and the two began to head back.

**Some time in the distant future…**

"C'mon! We're almost to the portal Naga told us about!" a teenaged Lucina informed to the rest of the children shepherds as well as a much older Sumia. She had already donned the mask that Gerome had given her, so that the shepherds of the past would not immediately recognize her. She was leading the only group of humans left on the continent. Everyone else had been exterminated by the Fell dragon and his Risen.

"The Risen are gaining on us!" A girl with reddish hair exclaimed. "We're not going to make it!"

"Severa is right!" an armored girl with dark brown hair agreed. "We're going to need to make a stand!"

"That's crazy!" a male hero with gray hair exclaimed. "Do you see all of them? We'll be wiped out!"

"What should we do?" A very concerned Cynthia asked from atop her pegasus, or rather, her mother's old pegasus.

"If we don't make a decision soon, we'll all die!" A female archer cried out. "I'm s-scared!"

"C'mon! Let's go!" A blonde mage yelled as he launched a wind spell towards the Risen that were running towards them, killing a couple of the monsters.

"Listen to Laurent, Lucina!" Severa shouted.

Sumia looked at the group of teenagers with a wistful smile on her face. "Oh, if only everyone could see you all now…" she murmured to herself. "You would make everyone so proud…" she made a decision that would change the course of history forever.

"Everyone!" Sumia cried out. "Make for the portal, as quickly as you can! I'll cover for you all!"

"No mother!" Lucina cried out. "We can't leave you!"

Sumia only smiled. "Yes. Yes you can. I'm too old and too tired. Even if I can make it through time, I'll just ruin things for myself of the past. She deserves just as much as me to spend time uninterrupted with your father…"

"But…" Lucina protested.

"C'mon, we have to go!" a blonde myrmidon put his hand on Lucina's shoulder.

Sumia nodded. "Listen to your cousin. I can only buy a couple extra minutes. Listen to me." She looked at Lucina with tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Take care of them, they're YOUR shepherds now. Know that whatever you do, I will always be proud to have been your mother. Now go! Change history for the better!"

"Please, mother!" Lucina begged. "You are on a pegasus, you can outfly those Risen! If we all make it, come after us, don't just sacrifice yourself!" Sumia nodded at Lucina's request.

Under some more urging from Owain, Lucina gritted her teeth and ran towards the portal, right behind the other children. Sumia gave them one last melancholy glance, before turning towards the swarm of Risen.

"C'mon Belfire…" Sumia whispered. "Let's show these guys what Robin spent so much time teaching me!" She raised her right hand whilst holding onto a crimson tome in her left. "There's not many uses left in this one, but it'll buy us some time!"

She cast Bolganone. Large patches of ground underneath the Risen erupted as the magma from the spell consumed the Risen, but it didn't matter, more just filled their dead comrades' places.

Sumia cast spell after spell. The precious tomes she'd been saving and using only in emergencies were being expended faster than ever before. Eventually, her tomes began to run dry.

She threw the blank tome away. "If only Robin was able to also teach me how to cast without a tome…" Sumia chuckled regretfully. She sighed and took out her silver lance. "I guess it's back to fundamentals…"

She lowered her lance and charged the Risen.

Lucina was almost to the portal. "C'mon! You're almost there!" she heard her sister urge her from in front of her. Cynthia then turned and flew into the portal.

Owain followed her and jumped through as well. Lucina was about to turn to call to her mother, but froze. The sharp cry of Belfire made Lucina lose all hope. A risen had slashed the falicorn's side, and another knocked Sumia off her mount.

Sumia fell to the ground on her stomach. She was able to look at Lucina one last time with tears in her eyes. "Go…" she mouthed before the Risen stabbed her through the back, killing her.

"Mother!" Lucina cried, tears falling down her face from under her mask. The Risen responded to her cry and began to charge towards her. Lucina gritted her teeth and fought through the pain in her chest. She dove through the portal as well.

**The "Present"...**

Lucina sat up in her bed, panting. Her heart was pounding. The image of her "real" mother dying in front of her still ingrained in her mind.

"It's… it was just another nightmare…" she told herself. "It was just another nightmare…" She wrapped her arms around herself. If only there was someone who could understand… she would give anything to have some sort of comfort right now. Well... almost anything.

Lucina sighed, and got up. She pulled back the blinds and looked out the window. The sun had not yet risen yet, which meant that she probably had plenty of time before the shepherds needed to set sail for Valm.

"There's no use trying to fall back asleep." Lucina decided. "I'll probably just have more of those nightmares again." She groaned, and decided to go downstairs. Maybe she could take a walk or something to clear her head. She quickly got dressed and made her way down to the lobby.

The inn was quiet. Almost no one was up yet, after all. She made her way to the lobby, and saw a scene similar to that of last night. Only this time, instead of Miriel, it was Robin reading in the lobby.

Lucina blinked a couple of times and rubbed her eyes. 'Am I dreaming?' she wondered to herself.

She quietly made her way over to her crush. Robin, noticing some movement in his peripheral vision, looked up. His eye twitched slightly. "Lucina? What are you doing down here so early? We don't leave for another hour or two."

"I… uh I couldn't sleep." she mumbled. "Nightmares…."

"Ah…" Robin nodded in understanding. "I can completely understand. I've been getting more and more of those recently as well."

"Is that… that's why you're down here so early?" Lucina asked him.

Robin smiled, making Lucina's heart skip a beat. "No, not tonight. I actually slept very soundly. I get to bed later than pretty much every shepherd, and yet I usually wake up earlier than everyone, provided I slept well, of course."

"Has it always been like that for you?" Lucina asked him curiously.

"Actually, yes." Robin thought for a moment. "For as long as I remember, which honestly isn't too long. It's like I can operate perfectly fine on just a few hours of rest every night. It's really great for me, because my productivity goes up so much."

Robin put his book down. "So what's your plan for now? After all, there's a lot of time to kill."

Lucina fidgeted nervously. "Well, I was thinking about taking a walk by the shore. It's something I was never able to do in the future. I don't even think I've seen the ocean before yesterday."

It was Robin's turn to experience some deja vu. "That reminds me exactly of what Cordelia did last night." he chuckled.

"That's why… Is that why you two were out so late last night?" she squeaked.

Robin chuckled. "How'd you find that out?" he asked her curiously.

"Miriel told me." Lucina admitted.

Robin nodded in understanding. "Miriel WOULD pay attention to those kinds of things. Anyways…" he waved his hand. "She asked me to come along, and so I obliged."

Lucina bit her lip. "Well, then…" she began. 'Just do it!' she told herself. 'What's the worst that can happen?' "Would you… be willing… to come with me too?" she asked, growing quieter with every word.

Robin looked at Lucina curiously. "Sure." he finally said. "I'm always up for a walk."

Lucina felt the butterflies in her stomach temporarily fly away, as she felt the elation of her proposal being accepted by Robin. The tactician placed his book back into the astral plane, and got up.

"Shall we?" he gestured towards the exit.

Lucina nodded, and happily left with Robin.

The sun was rising, basking the pair in a warm glow as the cool air blew across their faces. The sunlight put both of them in a good mood, and a rare smile appeared on Lucina's face.

"Have you gotten to see many sunrises in the future?" Robin asked the princess.

"No." Lucina admitted. "In the future, once Grima was resurrected, clouds constantly covered the sky. During the day, the only light that made it through were tiny rays that managed to sneak past the overcast." she explained. "I don't remember the last time I've actually seen the entire sun."

"I've been hearing a lot of bad things about your timeline. Was there any good at all?" Robin inquired.

Lucina shook her head. "The human population slowly began to dwindle. Grima took over the entire continent over the time of several years. People slowly began to bleed out, some from starvation, some from disease, some from combat with the Risen."

Robin nodded. "A few years is hardly enough time for humans to be born or grow up. There's no way humans could recover from something like that."

"Mmhm…." Lucina could feel herself beginning to grow emotional at the thought of her own timeline. Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. "As far as we know, the group I was with… well, they might have been the last group of humans left alive on the continent." She wiped away the tears with her sleeves.

Robin had a sorrowful look on his face. "Well," he began, trying to change the subject. "What about your childhood? Was it any better?"

Lucina stopped sniffling. "Actually, yes."

"Did you spend a lot of time with your parents?" Robin asked.

Lucina shook her head. "No, not really. When I was around four years old, my mother had another daughter…"

Robin raised his eyebrows, for this was certainly news to him.

"And as a result, she started spending more time with her newborn daughter than with me. My father was always busy leading the halidom, and also didn't have time to spend with me." Lucina explained.

"So what made it good?" Robin inquired.

"There… was another adult at the castle that spent a lot of my childhood with me." Lucina managed to get out. "He was always really nice to me. He took me out of the castle on occasion, he kicked out my abusive tutor to teach me himself, and he played and read stories with me. He even carved me a wooden Falchion to play with."

"Wow." Robin breathed. "Sounds like he truly was a blessing for you then."

Lucina bit her lip. "Yes. He is."

Robin didn't seem to notice her choice of language. "So…" he teased. "Did you have a crush on him?"

Robin did not know just how true of a statement that was. Lucina's eyes went wide and began to blush furiously.

"Aha! So I'm right!" Robin smiled. "Don't worry about it, your secret is safe with me. It's just a childhood crush, after all."

"Y-yeah…" Lucina lied. 'He doesn't realize that I'm talking about him!' she thought to herself. 'I suppose there's no reason for him to know I'm talking about him.'

After a moment of silence, Robin decided that it would be important to explain his Hekseer to Lucina. The princess was fairly surprised, but followed the tactician's instructions and tested out the function of receiving instructions without talking.

At this point, their conversation seemed to reach a dead end. The two simply walked around in silence, enjoying each other's company. Eventually, it almost became time for the rest of the shepherds to get up, and so Robin made the decision to head back towards the inn.

By the time they got back, the rest of the shepherds had begun to gather. The inn offered them a quick breakfast, and the shepherds began to head towards the docks on schedule.

Flavia and Basilio had already had people drop off the necessary provisions for their long journey, and the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers were already beginning to load everything onto the ships. By the time the shepherds arrived, there wasn't much left to do. They helped carry the final provisions to the hold of the ships, and everyone began to board.

Once the final checks were made, Flavia and Basilio gave the signal, and one by one, the ships began to set sail. To Robin's delight, the shepherds were able to get a ship to themselves. Besides some of the Ylissean troops that served as their crew, as well as Basilio and Flavia, everyone on that ship was a shepherd. This was one of the benefits of having so many ships. Every ship had an ample amount of space for the soldiers on board. There was enough for everyone to get a room to themselves, with the exception of the married and engaged couples. Sumia and Chrom obviously shared a room. So did Sully and Stahl, and even Lissa and Lon'qu, and Miriel and Vaike. Robin was happy for them, but at the same time, felt bad about his own dilemma.

It took a few hours for everyone to get accustomed to the sailing. Once everyone had settled in, Robin made his way to the helm of the ship. Many of the others, including Chrom and Frederick, had already gathered there. He had to admit, the feeling of setting sail across the ocean was exciting for him, even if they were sailing towards another war.

"Ah! The view is breathtaking!" he admitted. "Somehow, our troubles feel like a lifetime away out here."

Chrom sighed. "Yet in truth, we're headed right towards them. I'm grateful that Plegia was able to give us these ships, but it's my first time on a vessel. My legs… I never fancied myself a sea captain."

"This is my first voyage as well." Lucina said as she joined them. "In my time, all our ships were destroyed. Smashed to pieces, along with their ports."

"I have a question, Lucy!" Lissa chimed in. "What would've happened if you hadn't stopped those assassins in the courtyard?"

"He would have been gravely wounded." Lucina admitted. "And those wounds would have played into the tragedies to come."

"Woah!" Lissa wiped her brow. "Good thing you've changed things then, right?"

Lucina gritted her teeth. "Maybe… but the river of time always favor its original course. Take the exalt's death, for example. I stalled it, but in the end I was unable to prevent it."

"You did what you could." Chrom assured her.

"Your kind, father." Lucina told him. "But nothing is certain. Another could take your life. Time could find a way…"

"Do you know how I died?" Chrom asked.

"Only rumors. According to reports of people who escaped, I was told you were felled in a great battle, betrayed by one of your own allies." Lucina revealed, shocking everyone there.

"An ally?" Robin breathed. "So could it be there was a traitor in the shepherds?"

"It would seem so." Lucina grimaced. "After Grima returned, we tried to hold on for as long as we could. We even tried to complete the awakening, but we were unable to do so. The only hope for us was for Naga to use her strength to open up a rift in time that allowed us to travel back and try to prevent Grima from rising again."

As they were talking, a pegasus knight landed on board, and whispered her report to Frederick. The Great Knight nodded, and waited for a break in the conversation.

"The Pegasus Knights have reported." Frederick said when he finally spoke. "They say the Valmese are about half a day's sailing away. They match ours, ship for ship."

"Your tone tells me this is not good news." Chrom noted.

"Their troops greatly outnumber ours." Frederick continued. "As you know, our ships are half full, at best. But every Valmese ship is packed stem to stern with Valmese soldiers. They're sailing in a formation with three ships serving as their spearhead, with the rest of them clumped together behind them."

Chrom gritted his teeth. "If we try to fight them head on, we'll be slaughtered!"

"We've little choice!" Flavia exclaimed. "If we allow them to land in Regna Ferox, it would be even worse!"

Lucina gazed towards Robin expectantly. Robin looked deep in thought. "But… let's say we ARE able to take out these Valmese ships, and with little to no casualties ourselves… That would be a major victory for us, no?"

"But how can we hope to do that?" Chrom asked. "Do you have a trick up your sleeve?"

Robin only said one word. "Fire."

No one seemed to understand. No one except for Lucina, whose eyes went wide in realization. She immediately reached out her hand to feel the wind, and found that it was indeed blowing in their favor.

"How do you plan to do that?" Basilio asked. "We've got the oil, but we've no catapults! You could roast us all like hams!"

"But Robin does make a point." Flavia agreed. "If we utilize fire, it would be possible to kill them all while expending very few lives. But how can we get the oil onto their ships without setting our own ships ablaze."

Robin began to grin almost evilly. It was a look that the shepherds had grown to love, and their enemies grew to loathe. "Unless…" he began. "Unless we WANT our own ships to be caught in blaze as well."

"But why would…" Basilio began. "For what reason would we ever want to light our own ships on fire?"

"The battle of Red Cliff." Lucina offered. "Chon'sin and Rosanne were able to hold off the overwhelming Valmese forces led by Calvin Caohardt by ramming some of their own ships that they lit on fire into the Valmese fleet. They were able to win the battle, despite being outnumbered ten to one."

Robin blinked at her a few times and smiled. "Very good Lucina! I'm impressed! I was under the impression that no one else has read "The Three Kingdoms" but me!" Lucina blushed under his praise.

Robin turned to everyone else. "Lucina is right. We actually have an advantage in the sense that we can afford to lose some of our ships. We'll make more detailed plans later, and we can momentarily drop the sails in order to make sure we have enough time to prepare. But eventually, we'll move some of the oil onto about one third of the ships, and put our best sailors on those ships. When we give the signal, they'll ram them into the key locations in the Valmese formation. The fire will be able to spread, and we can take out their entire fleet in one fell swoop."

"Well, I know better than to question Robin." Basilio laughed. "Especially when he has that look in his eyes! Gods save us from whatever he's cooked up this time. Let's just hope it's not us!"

"The timing works well for us too." Robin continued. "If the reports are correct, the fastest we'll meet them is during the evening. If we stall a little, we can even get it so they meet us at night. Our first step is to disrupt their chain of command. We need to board their spearhead, and take out their general. That formation is their supposed counter to fire tactics, but it only works if their ships in front can survive. If we take them out first, we can easily burn out their entire fleet."

Chrom nodded. "I'll lead the squad. I'm confident the shepherds can take care of it, especially with you leading us."

Robin smiled. "Then this plan truly stands a chance."

Chrom chuckled. "So much has changed since we found you lying in that field that day. Hard to believe that you alone decide the fate of our people. Of the entire continent. Destiny has a strange way."

"No Chrom. Not destiny." Robin shook his head. "We're not pawns of some scripted fate. I believe we're more. Much more."

"How do you mean?" Chrom asked.

"There's something that keeps us together. Like invisible ties or bonds, connecting us." Robin utilized some of Chrom's own words from their previous conversations. "WE forged those ties. WE strengthen them. If we preserve them or break them, it will be by our choices, and not some 'destiny'."

"Robin…" Flavia laughed. "I think the salty air has gotten to your head!"

"All right, all right." Robin conceded. "That's enough philosophy for today. There's many details to discuss, and many preparations to be made."

"Indeed there are!" Chrom agreed. "And Robin… if we are all bound by these invisible ties, I thank Naga that it's with you." he then turned to everyone. "All right! Everyone listen to Robin's instructions! We have work to do!"

In the next few hours, the shepherds, along with the Ylissean and Feroxi soldiers, stopped sailing and began to prepare for the upcoming battle. They used Pegasus Knights to deliver messages between the ships, and to ensure that everyone was on the same page. As evening drew near, everyone had a large meal in order to ensure they had enough energy for the upcoming fight.

They were all slightly nervous, they held firm and waited for nightfall. Eventually, after the sun had set, the shepherds saw the light of the Valmese torches as their ships sailed towards them. The Valmese were not expecting to meet any opponents, especially since the Ylisseans and Feroxi had put out all their torches and lamps to remain hidden.

"Now!" Robin whispered loudly as the ship carrying all of the shepherds suddenly lit their lamps and sailed towards the Valmese. The Valmese responded by arrogantly charging forward with their spearhead. The three Valmese ships began to surround the shepherds.

The Valmese placed planks on the shepherd's ship in three locations. "That one!" Robin pointed to the ship to their west. Chrom nodded, and they began to rush towards the western ship. This was the one that the Valmese commander was on. The shepherds began to move around in accordance to what they had planned earlier.

Donnel held the plank leading towards the eastern ship along with the help of Gregor, Maribelle, and Nowi. Frederick held the plank leading to the southern ship with the help from Kellam, Libra and Ricken. The goal of these two groups was not to move forward, but rather to firmly plant their heels and hold back the advances of the Valmese.

On the Western plank, Chrom and Robin led Stahl and Sully, Vaike, Lon'qu and Olivia as they charged the Valmese, who answered in kind. Cordelia, Sumia and Cherche patrolled the skies, hovering between the three ships, helping out wherever they are needed. The other ranged units did the same from the safety of their own ship, launching spells onto the Valmese whenever an opportunity presented themselves. Due to the cramped conditions of the Valmese ships, they didn't even need to be accurate. Any spell that was launched over found a few unlucky targets.

The Valmese found themselves frustrated by the immovable walls on the eastern and southern planks. There simply was not enough room for them to cross with many more than one at a time. The shepherds were easily able to hold them off, but also did not gain much ground either. On these two locations, the battle had reached a stalemate. However, because the pressure was on the Valmese to break through, they kept launching soldiers one at a time and the shepherds, which meant the shepherds were able to kill them off one by one. Any mage or archer that tried to take out their blockade from a distance was immediately discouraged from doing so by the spells launched by Ricken and Maribelle.

Even though the Valmese had the advantage in numbers, it was clear that the shepherds had the advantage in vision. They put their lamps in strategic positions that allowed them to see the Valmese troops, but was also able to have enough shadowy spots to hide themselves in. Robin also had the advantage of the Hekseer, and the ability to give orders without talking or being near anyone, which put the Valmese at a heavy disadvantage in this department.

Miriel, Gaius and Virion were put together, and moved around the ship as a unit. They coordinated with their fliers, and seemed to always know exactly where their fliers were, and exactly where the opponent's fliers were. The Valmese sent Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Riders to support their spearhead from their main fleet, but they simply did not have the vision to deal with the shepherds. Cordelia and Cherche, under the careful instructions of Robin, seemed to know exactly where the enemy was coming from. They were able to jump each Valmese flier with a surprise attack, sending Valmese after Valmese to plummet into the waters below. Sumia flew around the ships, carrying Anna with her. The pair threw thunder magic at any openings in the Valmese formations.

Miriel periodically launched Arcfires into the air, seemingly at random. She didn't seem to hit anyone, but each time, the spell revealed the location of an enemy flier. Virion and Gaius took the opportunity to launch a couple of quick shots at their revealed target, racking up their kill counts rather quickly.

On the western flank, the shepherds began to slowly inch their way forward. The Valmese were unable to push back the shepherd's frontline, but the shepherds, with the help of Tharja and Henry's dark magic, seemed to be able to dissolve the Valmese armored units and cavaliers. There were some mages on the western Valmese ship, but the damage they were able to deal was quickly healed away by the staff savant in Lissa.

The shepherds fought their way to the Valmese, and began to reach the gunwale of their ship. Robin smiled, knowing that the battle was as good as over. Once the shepherds boarded the Valmese ship, the Valmese suddenly found themselves at a severe disadvantage. Stahl and Sully rampaged across the ship, relishing in the ability to ride across the wide open space of the ship. Vaike was in a similar situation, happy with the ability to swing his axe around more liberally. Lon'qu and Olivia darted around, being more comfortable to go in, kill a target, and get out with the introduction of more space to dodge around. Robin took his time to check his Hekseer once again.

{Cherche, there's an enemy wyvern flying towards you slightly towards your left. Cordelia, take out the Pegasus flying towards us from directly in front of you. Miriel and Virion, move to the northwestern portion of the ship, to our eleventh position. There are some targets there to take care of. Sumia and Anna, help them out.}

After giving out the instructions, Robin returned back to the battle at hand. The shepherds were able to massacre the Valmese on their command ship. Eventually, it was just their commander left. The general charged the shepherds before his entire force was wiped out.

"Arrogant pup! I am General Ignatius of Valm! The seas are my home, and they'll be your grave!" the Valmese commander declared. Chrom tried to fight him, but was at a severe weapon and armor disadvantage. Robin and Lucina darted in to give him a hand. The three, together, was able to keep the general at bay while their comrades continued to slaughter the Valmese. Although they were able to force the general back towards the helm of the ship, they were unable to deal any serious damage to him.

"There's no way you can penetrate my armor. You can't kill me in time. My main fleet will be upon you in no time! You… have… lost!" Ignatius laughed.

Chrom and Lucina gritted their teeth, knowing that there was some truth to the General's words. Robin, on the other hand, merely laughed. "Oh… you are so misinformed…" Robin pulled out the dagger that Olivia had gifted him. He smiled at Ignatius as he cut himself across his cheek. Ignatius didn't know why, but the action sent shivers running down his spine. Lucina, seeing Robin do this for the first time, had her eyes widen in surprise.

Robin's eyes began to glow. However, this time there was a significantly more purple tint to both his eyes and his scythe. "Stand back." he told the two royals. Lucina and Chrom slowly backed away from him.

Robin tilted his head and smiled. Ignatius braced himself for Robin to charge him, but Robin stayed put. He swung his scythe around, flinging blades of purple energy towards the Valmese General. Ignatius raised his shield, in an effort to block it, but found to his dismay that the blades cut right through his heavy armor as if it were nothing. 'Shit! That's a magical attack!' Ignatius realized. But it was too late. He had already taken too many hits. He could feel blood in his mouth.

"Strike… me down… and ten will take my place…." Ignatius stammered with his dying breath. "You… have.. LOST!" Robin threw one last blade at the General, this time striking him across his throat and ending him. "I don't think so." he told the corpse.

"R-robin…" Lucina walked up to the tactician. "You're hurt..." she bit her lip, and gingerly caressed the cheek with the cut.

Robin smiled. "This is nothing. It'll heal in a moment. Although… the fact that you care means a lot to me."

Lucina blushed, and was glad the lighting wasn't good. Otherwise it would've exposed her to not only Robin but Chrom as well. "O-of course I'd care!" she protested.

{The general is dead! Miriel, give the signal!}

As soon as Robin gave the command, a special fire spell flew into the air. It exploded into a variety of colors. Immediately, the Ylissean and Feroxi fleet lit their lanterns. The previously completely dark eastern sea suddenly was brought to life with all of the lights. The other two Valmese ships that were still fighting the shepherds immediately lost the fight in them. The shepherds left the carcass that was the Valmese command ship and began to board the other two Valmese ships. With their morale completely broken, they didn't manage hold on for more than a few minutes from the reinvigorated shepherds.

As this was going on, about a third of the Ylissean ships began to sail at full speed towards the Valmese fleet. The sailors poured barrels of oil across their bows and lit their decks on fire. The wind blew in their favor, and the flames reached menacingly towards the Valmese.

The ships finally crashed into the Valmese, and promptly exploded. The Valmese ships began to catch fire one by one, and the flames only grew larger. The Ylissean and Feroxi soldiers manning the ships, as well as the Valmese soldiers, all began to jump ship. The difference was, the Ylissean side had Pegasus Knights swooping in close to the surface of the ocean and picking up their comrades, flying them to safety. The Valmese on the other hand, had to suffer in the waters, which was also beginning to catch fire due to the large amounts of oil beginning to form on the surface of the sea. Not a single Valmese soldier would survive the night.

The shepherds, after killing off all the Valmese on their three ships, all gathered back on their own vessel. After a head count to ensure everyone had made it back, the shepherds pushed away the three Valmese carcasses and returned back to their own formation.

Basilio and Flavia made their way over to the shepherd's ship.

"Did you see that?" Lissa exclaimed. "It's like the whole sea was on fire!"

"It worked! It worked!" the usually stoic Frederick exclaimed joyously.

Flavia smiled. "Only you could hatch such a brilliant scheme, Robin! Who else would desert a portion of our vessels and turn them into flaming cannonballs? And there's still enough room on our remaining ships for all of our troops. It was so simple, yet the Valmese never saw it coming. I guess they didn't expect us to be willing to sacrifice our own ships."

"We won the day, but the war still looms." Chrom reminded everyone. "We have to press on and seize control of their main harbor!"

"Aye boy." Basilio agreed. "I've had enough of the smoke and smell here for one lifetime besides."

The shepherds, backed by their own troops and the Feroxi, headed full speed towards Valm.


	23. Smoldering Resistance

**Author's Notes:**

**As promised, more pairing will be revealed! To be completely honest, I was supposed to have the chapter ready for upload slightly sooner, but I had a (extremely minor) writer's block for a little bit.**

**Southwestern Ylisse…**

Robin felt himself return to the world of dreams for yet another time. This time, he recognized the location to be Southtown, near where he had originally been found lying in a field.

"Mother! Mother!" A young boy with white hair shouted as he ran through the gate of a small cottage. "I've delivered the books you've asked me to!"

A woman with white twintails of hair stepped out to greet him. "That's a good boy!" she smiled. "And do you have the money?"

"Uh huh!" the boy smiled and handed his mother a pouch. Katarina opened it to see some coins inside. She looked up at her son. "Very good! Come inside, dinner is ready."

"Yes!" the boy pumped his fist in the air. "I've been hungry all day!"

The woman smiled wistfully, and went back inside with the boy.

The scene changed, and Robin saw the boy, now a couple years older, writing calligraphy in a book. The boy's mother was sitting next to him, instructing him.

"Some day, you're going to have to make a living for yourself." his mother explained. "I don't have many skills, but I'll pass on to you all that I know. Creating tomes is a delicate process. Each line must be written carefully. One small error, and you'll ruin the entire page."

"Alright, mother!" the boy exclaimed. "How about this one?" he showed her mother the page.

Katarina gented felt the page, and the text began to glow yellow faintly. She smiled at her child. "Very good. This one will work. Now you have to repeat that forty times."

"That many?" Robin asked.

Katarina smiled. "What use is a tome that can only be used a few times?"

"You're right mother." The boy conceded. "You always are."

The boy immediately began to write a second page.

The scene changed again, and this time, the boy looked significantly older. Robin's eyes went wide as he began to notice significant similarities between himself and the boy.

The boy was crying next to a bed, with his very ill mother lying down in it.

"No, mother! Please!" the boy begged. "I'll go into town and buy the medicine you need. Please! Just let me go do that!"

Katarina smiled weakly. "No, Robin. If you do that, we won't have the money to eat for the next two weeks. I can't make you starve just for a chance to save me. I'm too sick." she coughed, clearly struggling to get the last sentence out.

"But…" the boy, now known as Robin, protested. "What will I do without you? I would be so lost."

Katarina managed to chuckle. "You've been the one supporting me for the past year, Robin. I'm nothing but a burden to you right now. Things will be easier once I'm gone. You will only have one mouth to feed…"

"That's not true!" Robin sobbed. "Please! Oh Naga, please!"

Katarina sighed. "Who would've thought that one day, I'd die like this: impoverished in a distant land? If only… I could see my brother again…"

She turned towards Robin for the last time. "My father sealed my fate when he sold my hand in marriage. Please, Robin. Remember to find someone that actually cares for you, to keep you company once I'm gone… I'm tired, and it's finally time for me to rest."

With that, Katarina closed her eyes, and passed on into the realm of the afterlife.

Robin stayed by her side, sobbing.

The scene changed once again, and this time, the Robin in the visions looked about the same age as the last scene. He was kneeling in front of a grave, which presumably was his mother. He placed some flowers in front of the grave.

"I'll make you proud... Mom." he muttered.

He heard shouting from the direction of the town and turned around. His eyes widened when he saw smoke in the distance. "Bandits?" he gritted his teeth and pulled out a tome and bronze sword and ran back towards town.

At this point, the scene, much like the last time, completely froze. Robin, expecting it this time, looked around, and saw the same shadowy figure approach him.

"We meet again, dear Robin." the Consciousness of Grima greeted.

"Was that… is that a vision of my past?" Robin asked.

"Hmm… that's actually a difficult question to answer." Grima replied. "Is it Robin's past? Yes. But is it YOUR past? Not quite."

Robin looked confused. "I don't follow."

Grima chuckled. "I'm sure you've met someone that has come from the future, no? Well in the future, there was a Robin as well. What you've seen today is a glimpse of his childhood."

Robin thought for a moment. "Last time, you said something about how the woman would've made it to the safety of Ylisse… so this one is the future me's past, and the last vision was MY past?"

Grima chuckled. "You're a smart boy. But I guess that's to be expected. Yes, your guess is fairly accurate. In fact, it's a shame that I can't show you more, but Robin eventually meets Chrom and joins the shepherds BECAUSE of these bandits. Remember what I said last time? Not all destruction is purely evil. Sometimes, some good things can come out of it. Keep that in your mind." he moved closer to Robin. "I'm sure this won't be the last time we meet. I'll be taking my leave now." A tendril of darkness reached out and touched Robin's forehead. When it did, a feeling of dread and panic washed over him, and caused him to jolt awake.

Robin sat up in his bed, panting. He could feel the swaying of the boat, and was reminded that they were currently making their way towards the continent of Valm.

"Wait a minute…" he muttered to himself. "The hierophant… Lucina coming back from the future… could it be?" He stroked his chin with one hand. "It would explain why he looked so much older than me… and why Tharja and Henry wouldn't have recognized who it was." He shook his head. "It's best not to jump to conclusions, but that definitely is a possibility."

"I'm gonna go clear my head outside." Robin decided, as he put on his cloak and headed towards the helm.

He found that he was not alone. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a lone figure leaning against the gunwale. As he drew closer, he recognized it to be the figure of Lucina, gazing towards the night sky. She was dressed in her night clothes, which probably meant that it was a little chilly for her.

"Hey." Robin said as he approached her. "What are you doing out this late?"

Lucina nearly jumped in surprise. She turned to face him. "R-robin!" she squeaked.

Robin laughed. "Sorry, did I startle you?"

Lucina smiled. She really did like that laugh. "Maybe a little." she admitted.

She turned to face the sky again. "I'm just… dealing with bad dreams." she eventually said. "I'm still haunted by some of the memories of my past. It's something I constantly try to forget, but the more I try, the more I cannot."

Robin nodded. "I guess, in a sense, I guess we have completely opposite problems. I'm struggling with finding out the past that I do not know, while you're trying to get away from the past you DO know."

Lucina sighed. "Yes, I think that is an accurate summary. I just feel like… like everytime I close my eyes, I see the images of people dying around me. My mother, my friends, the citizens of Ylisse…" Tears began to form in her eyes. "And I always feel so powerless about it! Like I should've done something different to prevent all that. I couldn't save any of them."

She began to break down. "It… it just feels as if everything that's been going on has been my responsibility to fix! It's like I have to shoulder everyone's expectations myself… But I don't think I can do it. I think I've let everyone down."

Robin stood there in silence for a moment as he let Lucina cry. He wasn't exactly sure what he should do.

Finally, he moved around behind Lucina and wrapped her in a hug. He rested his cheek on top of Lucina's head. At that moment, he decided he should treat Lucina like a girl in need of comforting, and temporarily forget about the fact that she's Chrom's daughter. Lucina's eyes widened in surprise as she felt Robin's arms around her, but once the initial shock was over, she was rather happy about it. Having the hug from Robin was more than enough to make her night, and the extra comfort of his warmth was an added bonus.

"You must have had a lot of weight on your shoulders." Robin agreed. "But you don't have to worry anymore, because there's more of us to help you carry that burden."

Lucina stopped crying. She bit her lip and softly nodded. "Thanks…" she whispered.

They stayed like that for several minutes. 'She's not telling me to let go, so there's no reason for me to.' Robin reasoned. 'Might as well make the most of the moment. For all you know, this could very well be the last time you get a chance like this.'

Realistically, there's not a single reason Lucina had that would cause her to tell Robin to stop holding onto her. If she had it her way, she'd tell him to not let go. Ever. She'd be fine with spending the entire night in his arms. Although, she also wasn't comfortable enough to tell him that either.

The two of them stayed there, each enjoying the other one's presence. Lucina relished the warm feeling she felt in the tactician's arms. Ironically, both of them thought that they were taking advantage of the situation. The result was exactly what both of them wanted though.

"So I'm guessing that if you didn't see many sunrises, then you probably couldn't see the stars in the future either." Robin eventually said, still holding onto Lucina.

She nodded. "The night sky is pretty comforting to look at. Especially with the moonlight reflecting off of the waves. It's really relaxing. I never had chances like this in the future, because there was a constant overcast. Even at night."

"Hey I've got a question for you." Robin suddenly said.

"W-what is it?" Lucina asked.

"Do you know what happened to me in the future?" Robin inquired.

Lucina sighed. She could still remember the day the news was brought to her. She had been heartbroken. "You died…" she whispered. "You and father died in the same battle. Almost none of the soldiers that went off to that battle returned alive. The day I learned of it was the worst day of my life."

"Yes, losing your father must have felt that way." Robin agreed.

Lucina was startled for a bit. "Y-yeah." she finally said. Although she had indeed been very sad that Chrom was killed in that battle, she was equally as sad about Robin dying too. It was the combination of the two that had really pulled her over the edge. But of course, Robin would not have interpreted it that way.

'So that eliminates that possibility…' Robin mused to himself. 'But things still don't make sense…'

They stood in silence for a while longer.

"It's… been awhile since anyone has comforted me." Lucina admitted.

"Is that so?" Robin murmured.

Lucina nodded. "I got separated from everyone that I came back with, so I've been living alone for the past two years. I've been trying to find them, but to no avail. And before that… well, everyone could've used some comforting in my own timeline."

"Well," Robin began. "I may not be able to help you with your past, but I'll do my best to help secure the future. After all, you're with us now. Your parents are still alive. You don't have to be lonely anymore."

She nuzzled her head backwards, into Robin's collarbone. "Thank you, Robin. You have no idea how much this means to me."

She couldn't see it, but she knew Robin must have smirked. "It's not a problem. Not a problem at all. However…" Robin paused for a moment. "We also really should be heading to bed at some point."

"Yeah, probably." Lucina agreed. "But can we stay out here for a few minutes longer?"

"Two more minutes." Robin conceded.

"Fine…" Lucina pouted. She tried to relish those two minutes for as long as she possibly could.

Eventually though, Robin let go of her and returned to his own room. Lucina did the same once the tactician had left.

"Alright Robin." Robin told himself as he laid back down on his bed. "Don't get your hopes up. It'll just make it hurt even more once it crashes back to the ground." He turned over in his bed and fell back asleep.

In Lucina's room, it was a different story.

"I can't believe it!" she whispered to herself as she wrapped herself up in the blanket. "Robin actually hugged me, without me even having to ask! And we stayed out and looked at the stars, and had a conversation!" She vented her excitement by rolling back and forth across the bed a couple of times. "Maybe things are going great between us! Maybe it'll only be a few more weeks… or even days before we could get together for real!" She repeated fist pumped from underneath the blanket. Her mind was racing with the thoughts of Robin, and she struggled to fall asleep for the next hour.

**At sea…**

The next few days at sea didn't see anything in terms of combat. However, three extremely important developments occurred.

The first was that Donnel proposed to Maribelle. This one was a massive surprise to everyone except for Lucina, including the two people involved. Donnel wasn't even meaning to ask Maribelle. He was just talking to himself, but Maribelle managed to overhear him. Eventually though, the two found that they were extremely happy with how things turned out.

The second was that Gaius proposed to Cordelia. This one was also a surprise for mostly everyone, except for Robin and Lucina. The former had an inkling of it from his talk with Cordelia previously, and the latter had come from the future after all. Their daughter was one of Lucina's best friends, in fact.

The third and final development was that Panne and Frederick got together. Of the three, this one was the most outrageously unexpected one. Once again, everyone wished them well, and all but Lucina couldn't help but be surprised by it.

**With Maribelle…**

Maribelle walked down the stairs below deck. She was looking for the storage room in order to find the ingredients to make lunch. She could hear the noise of talking above deck.

Maribelle turned the corner, and saw Donnel. She was about to greet him, but stopped when she heard what he was saying. She decided to hide around the corner and let the farm boy finish monologuing.

Donnel was currently pacing around below deck, in a secluded location where he believed to be alone. He was trying to envision what Maribelle would say or do if he were to ask for her hand in marriage. Over the past two years, she had tried extremely hard to polish him into a gentlemen, but to little success. However, spending all that time together had allowed him to develop some feelings for the healer. The only problem is, he was just a country bumpkin, and she was a Ylissean noblewoman.

"S-say Maribelle?" Donnel spoke to one wall. "I reckon I want you to have this."

He immediately turned around to face the other wall. He continued in a rather inaccurate impression of Maribelle. "If you think a fake stone will win me over, you're outta yer… er… yer mad!"

Donnel returned to his regular voice. "The stone ain't real, but there's nothin' fake 'bout the way I love ya!"

Donnel then began his impression again. "Try again once yer not such a hick… er… once ya make somethin' about yerself!"

He finally stopped doing the impressions. "Aw horsefeathers! What the heck am I doin' here?" Donnel wondered to himself. "Maribelle'd never say yes to a darn pig slopper like me."

Maribelle finally decided to walk around the corner and confront him.

"Maribelle!" Donnel exclaimed when he saw her. He began to turn red. "How long have you been there?"

Maribelle shook her head. "Your portrayal of me was quite the princess. I can't say I'm flattered."

"N-no, that's not…" Donnel began.

"Let me see the ring." Maribelle demanded, holding out her hand.

Donnel obliged. "H-here, ma'am."

Maribelle took a moment to inspect it. "It is truly lovely. And you'd give this to me?" she asked.

"The stone ain't… I mean, it's a fake." Donnel admitted.

Maribelle shook her head and waved her index finger. "I'm not the sort to base a proposal's reply on the ring's worth, Donny."

"Then does it mean you're thinking about it?" Donnel asked hopefully.

"Will you ask me again?" Maribelle asked. "Properly, and to my face?"

"Course I will!" Donnel cleared his throat. "Miss Maribelle, will you do me the honor of bein' my wife?"

"Master Donnel, I would be delighted." Maribelle replied.

"Wait.. really?" the farm boy asked. "Even though I'm just a country boy?"

"You may not have noble blood, but you're a better man than a better half of the scoundrels and scallywags that call themselves nobility." Maribelle replied. She then tackled Donnel with a hug. "And I'd rather be with a man like you than some random arranged marriage with an unrefined nobleman! C'mon, let's go tell the others!"

Donnel chuckled nervously. "Alright, let's go do just that."

**With Cordelia…**

Cordelia had just got back from flying around the ships on her pegasus, Aurora. She considered herself extremely fortunate, because unlike most of the other shepherds, she has the freedom of flying around the air instead of being stuck on the ship all day. To be completely honest, she didn't think being on a ship all day was boring necessarily, but the thrill of flying around the ocean, not being able to see land regardless of whatever direction you look at, was extremely exhilarating. She'd have to offer Robin to come with her sometime. Or maybe...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the very man she was about to think of.

"Hey Cordelia?" Gaius asked her. "Do you have a moment?"

Cordelia brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, Gaius. What can I do for you?"

Gaius tilted his head and smiled. "Hey! You're wearing that ribbon I bought you!"

Cordelia giggled slightly. "You noticed?"

"Sure." Gaius returned the smile. "Although you look beautiful to me, with or without it."

Cordelia could feel her cheeks heat up slightly. "You know, Gaius, you can be extremely charming when you put your mind to it."

"Only to you, Cordelia." The thief smirked. "Anyways, could I see your hand for a second?" He reached out and grabbed Cordelia's left hand."

"Um… why are you clutching my hand?" the bewildered Falcon Knight asked.

"Just checking the size for this… riiiiight here." Gaius sneakily placed a ring over her finger with his sleight of hand.

Cordelia brought her hand closer to her so she could inspect it. "Oh, what a lovely ring!" she noticed that even though it did look rather stunning, it was clearly made by someone who didn't make rings as a profession. "Did you make it yourself?"

Gaius nodded. "Yup. But I wasn't sure about your size. Glad to see if fits." he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "See, because I'm all cleaned up now, I was wondering that if you would… like to be with me?"

Cordelia looked at him seriously. "Is this a proposal, Gaius?"

"Look," Gaius grimaced. "I know I'm not Chrom, and I won't try to convince you otherwise. I also know that you have something against my old profession, but I'm a changed man. Every day, I try to find something I can do better in order to become a productive citizen for Ylisse. I know you have every reason you need to say no to me, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try to win you over. So what do you say? Will you marry me?"

"To be completely honest, I really disliked you when we first met." Cordelia admitted. "But lately, I HAVE noticed everything you've been trying to do to become a better person, and I couldn't help but become enamored by your hard work and effort. And besides…" she raised her left hand. "It was very sly of you to slip this ring on before I had a chance to argue… It IS very beautiful, and I'd hate to have to take it off again."

Gaius smiled. "I'll take a yes out of laziness. I'm not picky." he joked.

Cordelia laughed. "Yes, Gaius. I would be thrilled to be your wife."

Gaius winked and gave her a thumbs up. "Sweet! You won't regret this, Cordelia!"

Cordelia smiled at her new husband to be. 'I guess you were right, Robin.' she thought to herself. 'I'd find someone eventually, without even having to try.'

**With Panne…**

Panne was gazing off into the distance as she leaned along the gunwale. Never in her life did she expect to be traversing the ocean, with such a large group of man-spawn, no less. Nor did she expect to develop feelings for a human either. Over the past two years, she had gotten close to a certain Great Knight, and wasn't exactly sure how to deal with her feelings. After all, she was a taguel. There's no reason for a human to fall in love with her, right?

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Frederick approach her, which was rare, since her sense of hearing is so good she can pick up the heartbeats of others standing close to her.

"Panne, might I have a word?" The Great Knight asked her.

Panne almost jumped in surprise, but hid it well. "What is it?" she turned to face him.

"I no longer fear your animal form, and for this, I owe you a great debt." the knight explained.

Panne's eyes twitched slightly. "Is this the part where you tell me you no longer need my services? Where you return me to my rabbit hutch with an affectionate pat on the head?"

"My good lady!" Frederick exclaimed in shock. "You must never say such things, even in jest! I am deeply, deeply indebted to you. And what's more… I brought you this." He presented a ring that he'd bought earlier in Regna Ferox to the taguel.

"Is it…" Panne wondered, inspecting the item closely. "Oh HO! It IS a ring! Is this the man-spawn ritual where you ask me to be your mate and spit on all others?"

"Er…" Frederick grimaced. "We usually speak of it in more poetic terms, but yes. I am deeply in love with you. Panne, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Your wife?" Panne scoffed. "I remember when you cowered at just the sight of me! Perhaps I am moving up in the world." she chuckled at Frederick's sad expression. "Oh enough. Do not make that face at me. In truth, I have begun to grow fond of you as well. I would be proud to be your mate. But I have to ask, why would you offer now of all times?"

Frederick sighed. "Well, I was thinking, that with the war on Valm looming over us, there is a good chance that one or both of us would not make it. Should that happen, the thing I would regret the most would be not finding out your answer."

Panne smiled. "Well then, Frederick. We'd better make sure we both survive then. I look forward to what the future might hold for us."

**A short distance away from Valm…**

Robin was above deck, gazing at the waves as they continued to travel closer and closer to Valm. According to the scouts, they would be reaching Valm harbor in about a day's time. Once they get some more detailed reports on the defenses of the port, he'll come up with a plan of attack.

He was distracted by the sound of an animal running across the deck.

"Panne?" he initially wondered. But immediately, he realized that it can't be right. He turned around to see a cute little dog floundering across the deck.

"Come here, Mr. Fluffles!" he heard Henry shout. A moment later, the Plegian sorcerer ran around the corner, chasing after the puppy. He scooped the little critter up in his arms. "Nya ha! You're a cheeky little fella!" Henry giggled.

Robin chuckled. "Where'd you get that?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, hi Robin!" Henry greeted. "I found Mr. Fluffles in an alley back in Regna Ferox. He hurt his leg badly, so I was taking care of him."

Robin looked at him skeptically. "You were going to take care of him?" he asked with a judgemental tone in his voice.

"Aww, don't be like that." Henry pouted. "I love animals! Actually, that reminds me. That pretty little lady also didn't believe me either. She kept saying that I was going to sacrifice him to my dark gods or something. How silly! Why would anyone do something like that?"

Robin tilted his head. "Pretty little lady?" he asked.

"Oh, you know, the one with the pink hair that dances." Henry replied.

"Oh." Robin nodded in understanding. "That'd be Olivia. Yeah, makes sense."

The two were interrupted by Frederick calling for Robin. Apparently, they had more detailed reports of the situation at Valm harbor, and he was needed for his input on the potential strategies they will use.

Robin sighed, and headed off towards the makeshift command room. Work was work, after all.

**Half a day later…**

Robin and the rest of the shepherds were gathered at the helm of the ship. Land was spotted a few short moments ago, and many of the shepherds were itching to get back onto dry soil.

"Remember the plan, everyone." Robin told everyone. "Basilio and Flavia will guide the rest of our troops and engage the other ships around the harbor. Our main goal is to get past them when they begin to fight, and land. Then the next objective is to take out their commander, a dark knight named Farber. Once we take him out, we'll be able to finish the rest of the Valmese off fairly easily. Our success will be key to our victory."

Everyone nodded, to show that they understood. Just as Robin finished, they could see many Valmese ships approaching from the harbor.

"Stay back!" Robin instructed. "This isn't our fight. Let the khans handle it."

The shepherds' ship didn't charge forward and engage any of the Valmese ships. They waited for some of their own ships to intercept their attackers, before sailing around them with the rest of their ships.

The Valmese began to realize that they hadn't sent enough ships to repel the attack, and so a second wave of ships launched from the harbor. Again, Robin and the shepherds allowed their other ships to engage them, before sailing around them once again. Once they made it past the last Valmese ship, they sailed straight for shore.

As they were approaching the shore, some of the Valmese launched arrows and spells at them. However, they were too far away, and the measly attacks didn't even scratch their ship, even when they hit it directly.

The shepherds laid down some planks to descend from the ship while Kellam blocked the incoming attacks with his shield. The armored units got off first, and began to form a human wall on the sandy shore. They fought off the few Valmese that charged them, in order to buy some time for the rest of the shepherds to get off the ship.

Shortly after, everyone was off the ship and onto the sandy shores.

{Lon'qu, Olivia, Tharja, Henry, Cordelia, Anna and Gaius, stay on the beach and take on the Valmese. They have some mounted units, so you will be much more mobile than them. Use that to your advantage. Everyone else, move upwards, towards the town!} Robin commanded.

The shepherds Robin called out stayed on the beach, while the rest of the shepherds moved their way up a set of staircases towards the buildings on the edge of the town.

"This place is crawling with the Valmese! It's pretty well fortified." Chrom noticed. "Wait… what's that?" he gestured to a woman being surrounded by some Valmese.

"An altercation?" Frederick guessed. "That woman… the Valmese are running her down!"

"Any enemy of theirs is a friend of ours!" Chrom declared. "Robin, shouldn't we try and save her?"

Robin nodded. "We'll split into two groups. Chrom, take Sumia, Miriel, Libra, Vaike and Donnel. Aim to take out the Valmese on our northern side and rescue that woman. The rest of us, we'll fight using our usual strategy, towards their commander, which seems to on the southern side of the town."

Chrom nodded, and immediately set off with the shepherds assigned to him. A Valmese Cavalier and Armored Knight stood in their way. Vaike knocked the Cavalier off his mount with a swing of his axe, and Miriel torched the Armored Knight in his suit of armor. The rest of them charged past the corpses of the Valmese towards the direction of woman.

Libra and Donnel each engaged in a Cavalier and General respectively, and although they weren't able to kill them on their own, they knew they had Miriel and Vaike catching up, who would be able to help them very soon.

This left Chrom and Sumia to be able to go straight for the woman, who was cornered by two Valmese Knights. Sumia blasted one of them in the back with her thunder magic, while Chrom engaged the other knight. The few Valmese that tried to run over and help were intercepted by the four other shepherds that had taken care of their previous opponents.

The woman, Chrom realized, was unarmed. She really wouldn't have been able to put up a fight against these Valmese knights. However, Chrom and Sumia proved to be much more difficult opponents, especially since the knights were certainly not expecting them. Sumia, after throwing several spells at her target, finally sighed as the knight died, and shifted her attention to Chrom's opponent. With a little help from her tomes, the second knight was also killed shortly after.

Chrom turned to the woman after the Valmese were killed.

"Prince Chrom of the Ylissean League!" the woman exclaimed. "You have my gratitude!"

"Ylissean League?" Chrom murmured, unfamiliar to ever being called that. "So you know of our cause?"

"Aye." The woman nodded. "My name is Say'ri, of Chon'sin. I would speak with you more, but first, perhaps…" she gestured towards the Valmese fighting the rest of the shepherds towards the southern end of the harbor.

Chrom nodded. "You're right. There's enough time for that once the fighting is finished. Can you fight?"

Say'ri grimaced. "Aye, but I've lost both of my killing edges. If you've a sword to spare, I'd be more than happy to fight for your cause."

Chrom nodded. "Donnel!" he shouted.

The farm boy in question turned to look towards him, while he blocked a strike from an enemy Cavalier's lance. "Yes, your majestfulness?" he asked as he cut down the Valmese with his axe.

"We need you over here for a second." Chrom called again.

"Yessir!" the boy replied as he hurried over as quickly as possible. "What is it?"

"Can you loan this woman your sword? Just for the duration of the battle." Chrom asked.

"Well, sure. Since Your Highnessness asked." he pulled out the steel sword strapped to his side and handed it over to Say'ri.

"Please, take good care of it. It may not be much, but I've had that sword for a while now." Donnel said, before turning around and rejoining the fray.

"Well, are you OK now?" Chrom asked Say'ri.

The swordmistress nodded. "It may be slightly heavier than what I'm used to, but I will make it work."

Chrom smiled. "Perfect. Now let's fight our way back towards Robin."

"Robin?" Say'ri asked. "Who is that?"

Chrom chuckled. "Robin is our tactician. He's currently leading the assault on the commander of these Valmese troops." he explained.

Say'ri nodded. "Their leader is a Dark Knight named Farber." she divulged. "He's an extremely powerful mage in the Valmese army. Almost no one was been able to survive a single one of his spells."

Chrom clenched his teeth. "Well then, we'd better hurry." They turned to help in the fight against the Valmese.

**On the beach...**

Lon'qu and Olivia lead the charge against the Valmese. The darted around the sands, slicing at their opponents wherever there was an opening. Gaius stayed close by, taking down any and all mages he saw with his bow. Cordelia also darted in and out of the fray, taking advantage of the immobile cavalry by keeping them at an arm's distance away. The armored Valmese made easy targets for Tharja and Henry to hit, and their opponents often were killed before they could get in range of the shepherd's dual swordmasters.

It didn't take long for the shepherds to clean the beach of the Valmese. Cordelia really admired how Robin was able to survey the situation, and instantly distribute tasks to those he felt best fitted for each role. The Valmese really had no chance against the six of them. They simply didn't have the same level of mobility over the sands as the shepherds did, leaving their formations extremely awkward. The mobile mages ran up to try and fight them, but were cut down by a combination of swords, arrows, and Cordelia's own lance. The reason they didn't have protection was because their front line soldiers couldn't move as fast as them. The only Valmese that even posed slightly of a threat was a Dark Knight, but he missed the first spell he launched towards Olivia, which allowed Lon'qu to run in and silence him with a swift slash to the neck.

Once the beaches were clean, Cordelia took the initiative to call to Robin.

{The Valmese on the beaches are taken care of. What should we do now?}

{Excellent.} Robin replied. {Backtrack towards the stairs we parted at. Come help us deal with the rest of the Valmese.}

The rest of the shepherds with her were also able hear what Robin said, and headed off back towards the stairs leading up towards the town.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina had to admit, she hadn't been in an organized battle too often in the past. The fights she had been in were usually led by her against groups of Risen, not people. As a result, the feeling of being under someone else's leadership, fighting against other human opponents was a relatively new feeling for her. However, the fact that the commanding officer was Robin was able to give her some much needed assurance.

She slashed her way past another Valmese mage. She snuck a glance towards her sides. Stahl and Sully were blocking a few Valmese with their horses and heavy armor. Kellam and Frederick were on her other side, doing something extremely similar. Virion, Maribelle and Ricken were behind her, free firing into the ranks of the Valmese.

Gregor and Panne, much like her, were filling the gaps, and taking out any Valmese before they got close to their back line. Fortunately for them, most of the Valmese mages were preoccupied with launching attacks at Nowi, who was flying overhead and distracting them. The Valmese really had no choice. Whenever they tried and target the shepherd's ground forces, Nowi would launch fireballs towards them, forcing the mages to respect her as a severe threat.

This gave the rest of the shepherds enough time to fight their way through the armored front line of the Valmese. Normally, it would've taken much more time for either side to gain an inch, with all of the heavy armor involved, but the shepherds had the distinct advantage of having mages that could actually target and melt armored units.

Pretty soon, the shepherds had taken out all of the Valmese fighters in the front. Lucina cut down the last Valmese Cavalier with her Parallel Falchion. She knew that the only ones left were the enemy commander as well as his elite platoon of mages.

At this point, she had taken Nowi's ability to distract the mages for granted. This made her position herself a little too carelessly, and gave the enemy commander, Farber, an opportunity to launch an Arcfire spell at her.

By the time she realized that there was a cone of condensed fire being launched towards her, it was too late to move out of the way.

'Not good!' she thought as she turned away and braced herself for the burning feeling she'd no doubt feel. If she was lucky, she'll get off with just a severe burn wound that would still be able to be healed by aunt Lissa. Worst case scenario, well Lucina wanted to think about it as little as possible.

Regardless, her life flashed in front of her eyes. 'Please Naga…' she begged. 'Not like this… I still have a future to save…'

Her prayers were answered as she felt the heat from the attack around her, but none of it directly made contact with Lucina. "Huh?" she wondered as she opened her eyes.

She was shocked by what she saw.

Robin had dove in front of the attack that had been meant for her. While it was extremely appreciated, and made her feel attracted towards the tactician even more, it was not what had surprised her.

Everyone, not just the shepherds, but the Valmese as well, looked at him with wide eyes. Robin had his back facing Farber with his left arm raised, protecting his own face by covering it with his left arm. He clenched a dagger in his left hand, and held onto his scythe with his right. However, more importantly, he seemed to be completely uninjured, despite taking a direct hit from Farber's spell. The only indication that he had even been hit were the glowing symbols and sigils interwoven in his cloak. They gave off a distinctly red glow where the spell had hit him.

"Im… impossible!" Farber breathed. Lucina, as well as everyone else watching, mentally had the same thought. They could recognize a powerful spell when they saw one. Not even Ricken or Miriel would've been able to cast a spell as strong as the one Farber had just launched at Robin. And yet, Robin managed to completely shrug off the hit as if it were nothing.

Robin turned to face the Dark Knight. He twirled the dagger around with his left hand and eventually slashed it across his right cheek, keeping his eyes on Farber the entire time. This made it even more eerie for the Dark Knight when the tactician's eyes began to glow reddish purple.

"D-d-d-demon!" one of Farber's mages exclaimed in fear. "R-run!" Some of Farber's mages ran away as fast as they could. Farber clenched his teeth. There would be time to deal with them later, but first, he had to worry about himself first.

Robin held the dagger out to his side, and caused it to disappear into the air. He took one last glance at the Valmese mages as his weapon began to glow the same color as his eyes.

Robin began to run towards Farber at a frightening pace. At this, some more of the mages decided that NOT abandoning their commander would mean death as well, and began to run away, following some of their other comrades. Robin ignored the rest of the mages, and moved straight for Farber.

Farber launched a few more Arcfires at Robin, but stopped when he realized that it was completely ineffective and damaging, or even delaying the enraged tactician. Reluctantly, he pulled out his silver sword and prepared to engage him in a short ranged duel.

However, Farber stood no chance in a swordfight. Not only did Robin's scythe have the superior reach, he was also infinitely more mobile in his enraged state than Farber, who was stuck on top of his horse.

At this point, both Chrom and Cordelia's group had rejoined the rest of the shepherds, and were just in time to see the spectacle of Robin fighting Farber. Aside from Henry and Tharja, everyone, even the ones that had already seen this side of Robin, had surprised looks on their faces.

And this was to be expected. Robin was handling Farber like he was just another training dummy. Farber truly was in a pathetic state. One of the best mages of the empire, forced to resort in using his sword because his forte was completely ineffective against his current opponent. He could do nothing but try his best to block the strikes that Robin made towards him.

However, while Farber did a decent job preventing Robin from slashing up his own body, he was unable to offer the same level of protection to his horse. Naglrath nipped the poor animal on occasion from Robin's wild swings, causing the animal to begin to grow weaker and weaker. Farber was too preoccupied to notice this, which is why it was a surprise when his horse fell over.

Farber screamed in pain as his left leg was crushed by the fall of his horse. Robin walked up to him. "I'll be more merciful to you than you deserve." the tactician told the Dark Knight coldly. He swung his scythe downwards, stabbing the Valmese commander through the chest. Farber's eyes widened as the amount of pain he was in suddenly magnified.

"I… may fall… but we are a legion... " Farber stammered even as the life was leaving his lips. "You… cannot stop… the Conqueror…"

Once Farber fell, the mages that were still remaining at the harbor turned and fled as fast as possible. The town was now clear of the Valmese soldiers.

Robin's wound on his cheek began to close up due to the quintessence he had harvested from Farber. His eyes slowly returned to a normal state. He made his way back to where the rest of the shepherds were gathered, including the newcomer, Say'ri. He glanced towards the harbor as well, and found that the Feroxi soldiers were in the process of landing. They had, without a doubt, taken care of the Valmese ships. As the rest of the soldiers were getting off the ships, Flavia and Basilio began to walk up the steps and towards the shepherds.

"Hell yeah!" Vaike exclaimed as Robin returned. "Did you guys see him!? He went Yahhh! And Yahh! And then the guy fell over, dead!" the axe man was making exaggerated movements with an imaginary weapon in his hands.

"We all saw." Lon'qu stated simply. "You should be used to surprises like these by now."

"But even YOU have to admit, that was pretty cool!" Lissa chirped.

"Mercy, friends! The tales of your strength were no exaggeration." Say'ri said, causing the rest of the shepherds to turn to face her. Seeing everyone look at her in confusion, she hurriedly added, "I am called Say'ri. I fight with the Resistance."

"So there's an organized resistance then?" Chrom concluded.

"Aye, of sorts." Say'ri replied. "Several groups formed to seek liberty from the Valmese."

"But I thought the emperor had stamped out all the dissenters…" Robin wondered out loud.

"He tries, but we Resistance members are a slippery lot." Say'ri conceded. "We strike hard, then vanish into the dark of night. Even now, various groups ride to the banner of dynasts across the land. United, we could pose a threat to Walhart, but for some time, I had struggled to bring them all together."

"What's stopping you, then?" Flavia asked as she joined the conversation with Basilio.

"Greed. Jealousy. Sloth." Say'ri replied. "All the weaknesses of man. The dynasts would all have freedom, but on their own terms. Some refuse to take up arms unless their own territory is threatened. Others thrive under the emperor's heel, and refuse to act unless there is profit in it. Liberty is a fine word, aye, but often not enough to unite everyone for the same cause."

"Then you're going to have to find a more convincing argument." Robin offered.

"Just so." Say'ri agreed. "Although, many refuse to trust me, because my brother fights for Walhart."

"Why does he support the empire?" Basilio asked.

Say'ri grimaced. "Would that I knew, good sir. Yen'fay was a good man once, but he is my brother no more! If we should meet on the battlefield, I shall cut him down like any other imperial." she looked back up at the shepherds. "Walhart is said to command over a million men now, perhaps even more. And he only gains more soldiers to conscript with each newly acquired territory. Sooner or later, he'll stamp out the Resistance entirely, if we do not unite now."

"Uh, Chrom?" Lissa asked nervously. "Did she just say a MILLION men?"

Say'ri laughed. "And what can a million men do against the Ylissean dogs of war? You stopped an entire fleet of their ships, did you not? Your daring strategy has awoken and inspired people all across Valm. Together, I know we can unite the Resistance and break the hold of the Conqueror over the continent! Please, help me, Exalt Chrom. I beg of you!"

Frederick turned to his liege. "Milord?"

Chrom thought for a moment before speaking. "I know that I have a halidom to save, and a future to win. I also know that there is a great battle ahead that I may not survive. Still, I admire your courage, and perhaps joining you on your mission is the best way to achieve mine. So yes, Say'ri, I will join my cause with your own. If I'm wrong, it's my life on the line… as it should be. Now, what will it take to unite your people?"

"Well, I do have one idea…" Say'ri began, but was interrupted by Basilio.

"Having an idea is good, but I say we make our way inland and set up camp first." the West khan suggested. "We're sitting ducks out here!"

Robin nodded in agreement. "Once we're set up, we'll have plenty of time to discuss our next move. It's going to get late soon, so we should get everyone settled in before nightfall. We'll have to leave our ships here, and hope that they'll still be in one piece by the time we return."

Flavia laughed. "Oh Robin! You're assuming we're going to win this war already? That's so very much like you!"

Robin smirked. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Say'ri nodded. "Aye… I will wait until you all set up first then."

"Oh, by the way!" Robin suddenly said. "I forgot to ask, how did your side of the fight go? Flavia? Basilio?"

Basilio laughed in response. "The Valmese ships that came at us were barely a quarter full. My guess is they scrounged up a few soldiers as quickly as possible in order to attempt to stop us. I guess they truly weren't expecting us. My big, brown arse ran circles around them."

Flavia nodded. "We only suffered a few casualties. Other than that, we actually had a pretty easy time. We tried out the formations you had suggested to us, and they really worked!"

Robin smiled. "Good. I'm glad."

The shepherds went off to go help their own soldiers, as well as the Feroxi with unpacking everything from the ships in order to move further inland to set up their camp.

Lucina took the opportunity to pull Robin aside.

"Uh… um… I just wanted to thank you." Lucina began nervously. "For saving me. I really appreciate it."

Robin thought back, and realized she must have been referencing him diving in front of Farber's attack. He smiled at her. "Don't worry about it! This may sound a bit arrogant, but it really was nothing for me!"

Lucina looked at him skeptically. "Really? That was a pretty powerful attack. Are you really unharmed?"

Robin laughed. "It wasn't like he shot some arrows at me. It was a magical attack, and I'm well able to fend them off. Really, I'm more than fine." he leaned down and looked closely at the Ylissean princess. "Why? Were you worried?"

"Yes!" Lucina exclaimed truthfully. "You blocked an attack meant for me, so of course I'd be worried if you got hurt!"

"The thought is appreciated." Robin told her. "But don't keep it on your mind for too long. It really was nothing for me. Come, we should go help the others."

He gestured towards the ships, and went off to go do just that. Lucina, happy and relieved, followed closely behind him.

**Say'ri: HP: 80% Str: 55% Mag: 25% Skl: 65% Spd: 75% Lck: 45% Def: 40% Res: 40%**

**Class: Swordmaster**

**Age: 22**

**Lucina: Class Change: Great Lord**


	24. Naga's Voice

**Author's Notes:**

**I don't actually have too much to say this time. As always, if you're enjoying this story, make sure to leave a favorite or a review! Thanks to all of my readers. **

**With that, here's chapter 24:**

**Just inland of Valm Harbor…**

It was already pretty late by the time everyone got everything set up. Robin was gathered in their newly set up command tent with Chrom, Frederick, the Feroxi Khans, and Say'ri. They had regrouped here shortly after dinner. It would have been difficult to make all the food required to feed everyone in such a short amount of time, but the grateful locals were willing to accommodate some of the new Resistance members at their own dinners. Evening was drawing near, but the newly formed Resistance group had hoped they would be able to hammer out a plan before the end of the day.

"This was what I was thinking…" Say'ri began. "Since ancient times, many of our people, like the Ylisseans, have worshipped Naga. More precisely, the people of Valm worship the the divine dragon's oracle, Lady Tiki. Most know of her as "the Voice", and she is currently trapped in her temple as Walhart's prisoner. But if she were freed…"

"Then the Resistance could rally around her." Robin finished.

Say'ri nodded. "Yes. That's what I was thinking. If the people are not willing to follow me, hopefully they will be willing to follow her instead."

"Where is she held?" Flavia asked.

"There is a shrine built within the branches of the sacred Mila Tree." Say'ri replied. "She has been held there."

"But there's one thing I don't understand…" Robin said. "From what I hear, Walhart is attempting to unite the continent by removing universal religion, right?" This earned a nod from Say'ri. "So then," Robin continued. "What's stopping him from simply killing Lady Tiki? Isn't his goal to remove 'idols' such as Lady Tiki? Will she even be alive by the time we get there?"

Say'ri grimaced. "Aye, sir. I've thought of that as well. This hasn't been confirmed, but it is said that the shrine at the top of the tree emits a calming aura, causing anyone that makes it to the top of the tree to lose their aggression. Also, it's been said that when she's asleep, she is protected by the power of Naga." Say'ri shook her head. "Again, these are all rumors. However, if they prove to be true, then my guess is that Walhart has simply taken Lady Tiki prisoner by taking control of the tree itself."

"And what if they're wrong?" Basilio asked. "What if we get to the tree and the Valmese have already found a way to kill her?"

"Aye. 'Twould be a great tragedy." Say'ri conceded. "I hope that isn't the case, but if we're able to prove to the other dynasts that she had been killed by Walhart, perhaps it could fuel their rage at the Valmese empire. In either case, I believe that going to the Mila Tree would give us the best chance for the other dynasts to rally around us."

Chrom nodded. "That does make sense. Let's draft up a plan of action then." he turned to Robin. "You've already done so much today. Take the rest of the evening off. We'll take it from here."

"But!" Robin protested. "You all fought just as much as I did!"

Frederick chuckled. "Yes, but we did only just that. Fight. You did that, as well as direct the whole battle. Compared to that, we barely did anything."

"Frederick is right." Basilio agreed. "There will be a time where you will definitely needed. But drafting up the path we'll take to the Mila tree is not one of those. It'd be preferable for you to be well rested, as we won't know if we'll run into Valmese troops on the way there. Would be a damn shame if our master tactician wasn't in his best form should that happen."

Flavia placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "The oaf's right. We need you to conserve your energy for the fights that are yet to come. Go. Take a rest."

That finally convinced Robin. "All right then. I'll leave the rest of the planning up to you all. Don't do anything stupid!" he joked.

Say'ri smiled at him. "Good even, sir Robin."

Robin held up his hand as a sign of goodbye as he left the command tent.

When he stepped outside, it was already completely dark outside. He could see the two campfires nearby, one for the female shepherds and one for the males. He could also see all of the other fires in the distance, surrounding the shepherd's camp. They were no doubt the work of the other regiments of the Ylissean and Feroxi troops.

He mindlessly began to walk in the direction of where the men usually set up their campfires. He was still thinking over the events of the day, as well as the plans for the near future, and quietly sat down next to the others.

What he did not realize, was that he had sat down at the female campfire. He was made aware of this fact by a welcoming greeting from Lissa.

"Hey Robin!" Lissa chirped. "Whatcha doin' here?"

Robin shook his head and blinked a few times. He looked around, and under the light of the campfire, he was able to see all the curious expressions of the female shepherds.

"I'm sorry. I thought this was the other one." Robin hastily explained. He was about to leave, but Anna grabbed onto his sleeve as he was getting up.

"Wait! We talked with the boys and decided that we'd trade places tonight, just for fun." she explained. "But since you're already here, why don't you just stay with us?"

Robin chuckled. "Wouldn't that make things awkward?" he asked.

Anna looked towards the other female shepherds for some help. They didn't disappoint her.

"There's plenty to talk about without going into strictly girl topics." Sumia said. "I, for one, don't mind him here."

"We'll have more time to talk about those things in the future, but it's not every evening where Robin will be here to join us." Cordelia nodded.

"Yeah! It'll be a fun new experience!" Nowi agreed.

Tharja let out a rare smile. "I would actually prefer him to stay."

Lucina quietly nodded in agreement.

"Alright, it's settled!" Lissa stood up. "Robin will stay at our campfire tonight!"

Robin smiled, and sat back down. "All right, all right. You've convinced me." This earned a squeal of delight from Anna, which in turn earned a look of disapproval, and possibly jealousy, from Lucina. However, she was not the center of attention at the moment, and nobody noticed.

Cherche smiled. "So I suppose I should stop telling my story then? We should probably talk about something else."

Sully agreed. "Yes, that'd be a damn good idea."

"Hey Lucina!" Lissa exclaimed, always happy to start a conversation. The future princess looked up at her aunt. "Since you come from the future," Lissa continued. "Can you tell us about, well, US in the future?"

Most of the shepherds smiled. That WOULD be an interesting topic of discussion.

"Well, OK." Lucina agreed. "Aunt Lissa, you were a compassionate woman and a truly skilled healer. I haven't seen you actually fight in a battle, but I often saw you with a weird looking axe that resembled a bolt of thunder."

Many of the shepherds furrowed their brows, struggling to imagine what that weapon would look like. "It's a bolt axe. She's describing a bolt axe." Robin offered. "Much like Anna's Levin sword, it's a magical weapon that uses thunder magic."

"Oh wow!" Lissa exclaimed. "I can't wait to get one of those! It sounds so cool!" she turned to Lucina again. "What about children? Do I have any of those?"

Lucina smiled and nodded, remembering the friends she had come back with from the future. "You and uncle Lon'qu had a son named Owain. He was an extremely skilled swordsman."

"It appears that the gynophobe has successfully passed down his proficiency to his offspring." Miriel nodded.

"Wow! Owain, huh?" Lissa looked deep in thought. "Does he… I mean, do you know if he has the mark of the exalt?"

Lucina smiled. "He did. You were so happy when it appeared."

Lissa wiped her brow. "Phew! What a relief to hear!"

"What about me an' Stahl?" Sully asked. "Does the ol' mouse have any kids in the future?"

Lucina nodded again. "You two have a daughter named Kjelle."

"A daughter, huh?" Sully muttered. "Hope she's not a dainty flower and can actually put up a fight."

"She can." Lucina assured her. "She's an Armored Knight, and a formidable opponent in battle."

Sully nodded, feeling satisfied. "Good."

"And what about me?" Panne asked. "Does this taguel have any kits?"

Lucina nodded. "You had a son named Yarne. He is living proof that taguel and man can coexist."

Panne smiled. "Good." She was even more happy on this inside, as this confirms that there is a possibility she'll survive the war along with Frederick.

"What about me?" Anna asked.

"Um…" Lucina began, feeling a bit awkward. "To the best of my knowledge, you weren't even a shepherd in the future." she finally admitted.

"I wasn't?" Anna seemed a bit surprised.

"Yeah. I don't really know much about you in the future." Lucina told her. "Sorry."

"Oh, no worries!" Anna winked. "That just goes to show that I got really lucky in this timeline! And besides, it just means that my future is a mystery! It's not any different than most regular people."

"And me?" Cherche asked with curiosity.

"But Cherche! You're not married yet!" Olivia protested.

"So? That doesn't mean I don't have children in the future." Cherche shrugged. "That's what I asked about, and not who my husband was." she waved her hand at the Feroxi dancer. "Yes, yes. I know. If she tells me who my future husband is, it would spoil a lot for me. Then there's the issue of whether I marry out of love, or to fulfil the future… blah blah. But I just want to find out if I had children. Aren't you interested?"

The pinkette thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes… I suppose it would be nice to know…"

"All right, I'll tell you then." Lucina said. "Cherche, you had a son named Gerome, and Olivia, you had a son named Inigo."

Olivia smiled, and Cherche laughed. "Thank you." The Wyvern Lord told Lucina.

"What about me?" Robin suddenly said. "What children do I have?"

Lucina frowned. "You… um…" she laughed nervously. "You… didn't have… children." she finally stammered.

"Oh?" Robin said in surprise. "Was that a choice between my wife and I? Maybe we just hadn't had the opportunity to have any yet?"

"You… um… well…" Lucina began to fidget nervously, knowing how unhappy Robin might be at her response. "You… weren't married." she finally clarified.

"I… wasn't?" Robin looked dumbstruck. His face morphed into a sullen expression. "Oh."

"Sometimes…" Miriel began. "Solitude is the most companionable companion."

She meant for it to be words of comfort, but in reality, it had the exact opposite effect. Robin's continued silence was a testament to everyone else of exactly this fact. Sumia facepalmed, but also didn't want to criticize anyone in front of everyone else.

The mood of the entire circle fell.

"W-well, how about me then?" Cordelia said, breaking the silence, not wanting to give anyone else the opportunity to say something that would rub more salt into the wound of her friend, even if it were by accident.

"You had a daughter named Severa." Lucina told the redhead, relieved to change the topic of conversation away from Robin. "She was one of my best friends."

They continued to bombard the future princess with questions, but Robin wasn't even listening. His head was filled with disappointed thoughts. Finally, he decided to get up.

"I'm… really tired." he said as an excuse. "I'll head back to my own tent and call it a night."

Anna, who was sitting next to him looked reluctant to see him go, but knew that he must have not been feeling too happy, and didn't try to make him stay.

Once they were sure Robin was out of earshot, Sumia was the first to speak up again.

"Lucina dear…" she began. "Maybe telling him that wasn't the best of ideas."

"Yes, I felt really bad telling him." Lucina grimaced, but agreed. "But he was asking! Wouldn't it be too suspicious to answer everyone else but not him?"

"I think she brings up a good point!" Olivia said earnestly. "If she were to do that, someone as smart as Robin would definitely know something is up!"

"Maybe you could've lied to him then?" Sully offered. "Tell 'im that he married some village girl, and you weren't sure about the state of their family."

Lucina opened her mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say. That would have been such a blatant lie, she honestly couldn't have come up with it on her own in such a short amount of time.

"Scallywags!" Maribelle exclaimed. "How could Lucina lie to him about matters of the heart? That would be unbefitting of someone in the Ylissean royal family!" the Valkyrie exclaimed angrily.

"Hey, it would have been a harmless lie!" Sully defended herself. "He might've not stormed off like that!"

"That's enough." Sumia said. "In either case, Lucina was in a very tough situation. Let's not hold it against her, even if you think she should have acted in a another way."

This was met with many nods.

The circle was silent for a few awkward moments. No one knew what to say, or didn't want to accidentally say something inappropriate.

Nowi was the one to finally break the silence.

"So… uh…" the Manakete began. "Is it just me, or do you all ALSO find it really weird that Robin, of all people, would not find a wife?"

A couple of the shepherds, namely Cordelia and Sumia, cringed at the question.

"Why?" Sully asked. "Are you fancying your chances with him now?" she joked.

"Well…" Nowi swung her feet upwards, and stretched out her arms, giving a very innocent look. "Let's just say, that if I were to end up with someone at random and it happened to be with Robin, I would be more than OK with it."

This was met with a couple of chuckles from the other female shepherds.

"Wha-at!?" Nowi whined in protest. "You can't deny that he's so smart, he's so nice, he's fun to be around, and not to mention, he looks good too! Right? Tharja? Olivia? Back me up here!"

Tharja nodded. "All of those are true." she said matter of factly. "I would be happy if I ended up with… someone like him."

Olivia, on the other hand, began to blush furiously, and covered her face with her hands. Many of the other females began to laugh at how embarrassed the tiny pinkette got.

"Well, what say you?" Maribelle asked curiously.

Olivia bit her lip after the initial bout of embarrassment. "Actually… yes." she finally admitted. "I think Robin would be an extremely lucky catch. For anyone… really. It's pretty surprising that he ended up by himself."

"And even those of you already in a relationship," Nowi continued. "If you swapped who you're currently with, with Robin, would you be EXTREMELY upset?"

Many of the already married shepherds winced, and took some time to actually ponder it.

"I… actually don't think it would be that bad." Cordelia admitted.

"Yeah, he's so nice to me, all the time. I'm sure I'd be content with it." Lissa agreed.

Sully nodded. "Probably wouldn't trade him for Stahl on purpose, but if it was caused by something outside my control? Sure, why not. He's a pretty respectable man after all."

Sumia nodded as well. "I agree with Sully. I wouldn't leave Chrom for Robin if I had the choice, but Robin's not such a bad guy either. I can understand your point."

There was another moment of awkward silence. Lucina had a frustrated look on her face. Not only did she manage to upset her long time crush, she also alerted the rest of the female shepherds that he was available to be snatched. If what she suspected was true, then there's more than just a couple people in the shepherds that could be a potential obstacle in the future.

At the same time, a certain redhead was having some thoughts of her own. 'If I wasn't a part of the shepherds in the future, and Robin was single, then I'm not messing with the future too much if we end up together, right?' Anna reasoned. 'While Robin might be pretty upset about it, I think that it actually is some good news for ME.' she giggled to herself internally. 'I don't think I've felt this excited since I sold that one sucker in northern Ylisse an iron sword for three grand!'

"So… uh, Cherche do you want to continue your story, since Robin left?" Lissa asked, finally breaking the awkwardness.

Cherche smiled. "Ok, why not. Well you see, I knew the man was lying to his wife because..."

The female shepherds resumed what they had previously been talking about. As the night grew later, they began to slink back to their tents, one by one, for some well deserved rest after a long day.

"Maybe I can make things right in the morning…" Lucina muttered to herself as she got into bed.

**With Robin…**

Robin slowly made his way back to his own tent. He flopped onto his bedroll.

"The river of time always favors its original course." Robin chuckled, quoting the future princess. "It seems that there's every reason in the world why I won't end up finding the right one in this timeline either."

He sighed. "What am I even supposed to do?" He stayed on the bedroll, letting his thoughts run for a few moments.

He eventually sat up and pulled out one of the bottles of wine. He tried opening it, but found that he had trouble. He clenched his teeth in frustration. Eventually, he decided to just burn the cork. He tilted the bottle in order to not make the burnt cork fall directly into the liquid below. Once the cork had been burnt out, he reached inside the neck of the bottle with his finger to pull out the ashes that remained. He didn't even notice his fingers feeling extremely hot from directly touching the ashes.

Once again, Robin downed the bottle. This one tasted slightly worse, although it's possible that it was because he burnt out the cork. Regardless, he reasoned that there's no way for him to effectively store an opened bottle of wine, so he may as well finish it.

Once again, Robin fell asleep under the influence of alcohol.

Once again, he fell asleep feeling quite depressed.

**Some time in the distant future…**

A seven year old Lucina was anxiously waiting. It was Friday afternoon, which meant that mister Robin would be coming soon. She kept looking out the window, hoping with each passing moment that she would see the man walking up to the castle.

Finally, her patience has paid off. She immediately ran out of her room when she saw the familiar looking cloak in the distance. It took her some time to get through the hallways of the castle, as the place was so big that it still confused the little girl a bit, despite living there.

She finally reached the entrance of the castle. Robin was currently talking with her mommy about something. She didn't want to interrupt them, and was also curious, so she hid herself behind the corner in order to listen to them.

"Sumia, do you remember that girl I got with?" she heard Robin say. "The one Maribelle introduced me to?"

"Yeah. The girl from the Silverman family." Her mommy responded. "What happened between you two?"

"I found out… I overheard her talking." she heard Robin reply in an almost broken tone. "She was telling one of her friends about how her family pressured her to get with me in order to restore some of their family's name. She's not actually interested in me as a person at all."

"Oh no!" Sumia replied. "Another one?"

"It seems that it's something I can never avoid. At least, not anymore." Robin sighed. "This isn't the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last. If only I could find a nice girl that doesn't know of my title or position..."

"Don't lose hope, Robin." Sumia told him. "It will happen any day now. You won't even see it coming."

"But what if it doesn't?" Robin replied almost angrily. "What if I just end up by myself for the rest of my life?"

"Then… then I guess you'll still have the rest of the shepherds. Remember, we're basically a family too." Sumia sighed. "I'm not the best person to give you advice on this sort of thing, because I've been extremely lucky. I'm sorry, but that's all I can offer you."

Robin sighed. "Yes, I suppose I'll have to get used to it then."

Hearing the conversation reach a standstill, Lucina ran around the corner and tackled Robin with a hug.

"Mister Robin!" the young princess exclaimed.

Robin chuckled, and Sumia smiled. "I'll leave you two then. Call me if she needs anything." Sumia told the tactician as she walked away. "Cynthia should be waking up from her nap any time now."

Robin picked the young princess up. The little princess was basically sitting on Robin's arms, with her head at about the same height as the tactician's. Lucina looked at Robin for the first time since he arrived. She noticed the tear stains around his eyes, and reached out to feel the tactician's wet face.

"You're sad, mister Robin." Lucina noted.

Robin chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Why are you sad?" the princess pressed curiously.

Robin hesitated. "I'm having trouble… with a girl. We used to spend a lot of time together, but it turns out she doesn't actually love me." he explained, not expecting the young girl to understand.

"So… you want to spend time with a girl that loves you?" Lucina translated.

Robin chuckled in surprise. "Yes. I guess you can say that."

"Then spend more time with ME!" Lucina half suggested, half demanded. "I'm a girl, and I love you!"

Robin was dumbstruck for a moment. Then, he began to laugh.

"Hey!" Lucina pouted innocently. "What's so funny?"

"Yes, you're right, Lucina." Robin finally told her. "I suppose that's what I'll have to do in the future. Now c'mon! Let's go have some fun!"

"Yay!" Lucina celebrated and clapped her hands together. "Let's go play!"

The two went off to go do just that.

**The next morning…**

Despite the heavy drinking from last night, Robin woke up feeling normal. He got up, had breakfast with the rest of the shepherds, and began to clear down with the rest of the shepherds. He resumed his usual, somewhat cheery personality.

A few of the female shepherds were looking at Robin with concern. Some of them were still worried about him being upset about what he had learned the previous night. Others that knew him a bit better were concerned by his sudden lack of care for the subject.

After everything was packed up and ready. Chrom informed everyone of their plans for the day. Simply put, they were to just march towards the Mila tree. The plan was to keep a low profile as much as possible, and hopefully they could get there without being a part of any major skirmish.

After the orders were passed around to the other campsites via pegasus knights, they began to march towards the west. They tried to stick to roads that lead as far away from nearby towns as possible. The only exception is when there is no other path to take. In that case, they would charge into the settlements and eliminate the Valmese soldiers and guards. Whenever this happened, the shepherds built up a lot of goodwill among the populace.

It took around three days for before they were close enough to approach the Mila Tree. There were a couple minor skirmishes between them and the Valmese, but Robin always made sure that there were as few survivors on their opponent's side as possible. This meant that the main forces of the Valmese would have a much tougher time pinpointing their strength or location.

**With Robin…**

The shepherds had just left Valm Harbor a few hours ago, and were steadily moving towards the Mila Tree. Robin was slowly moving along, just like everyone else around him. However, his mind was drifting elsewhere. Although he didn't really show it on the outside, he was still upset about what was revealed to him the previous night.

Still, he tried his best to cheer himself up. 'At least it's something I know about the future. Now that I know ahead of time, perhaps I can do something to change it in this timeline.' He thought to himself. 'After all, wasn't the point of Lucina coming back to change the future in the first place? Maybe I just need to more actively look for someone.'

His thoughts were interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. Robin turned around to see Anna smiling at him.

"Hey!" the redhead greeted. "Mind if we chatted a little while we march?"

"Sure." Robin shrugged. "Why not."

"I never ended up asking," Anna continued. "When you first rescued me, why did that Berserker have something against me? I was really confused. Was it something one of my sisters did? Did one of them rip him off or something?"

Robin thought back to around two years ago. "Yeah, actually. We were on our way to Regna Ferox, and there were some bandits raiding a village in northern Ylisse." the tactician explained. "Apparently, and this is some educated speculation, one of your sisters was helping defend the village while we intervened. We ended up killing the bandit's leader, which happened to be a Berserker that looked extremely similar to the one we killed before rescuing you. I think it might have been his relative, which would explain why he'd have a grudge against you."

He turned to look at Anna. "That actually reminds me. I have a question for you as well." he had a quizzical expression on his face. "When we arrived, you were already in the bandit's nest. What were you doing there by yourself?"

"Well…" Anna's eyes rolled to one side. "I had heard from the locals that they were amassing some sweet loot they had taken from the surrounding villages. I was hoping I could sneak in and grab some of it for myself."

Robin deadpanned. "So you were just being a profiteer." he translated.

"Pretty much." Anna grinned cheekily. "But I overestimated how sneaky I was. They discovered me, almost immediately. I was actually really lucky that you all decided to show up." her expression turned serious. "If not. I don't really know exactly where I would be right now. Possibly sold on the black market as a slave, or worse."

She grabbed onto Robin's hand and looked him right in the eyes when the tactician turned towards her in surprise. "Thank you. It's something I could never truly repay. I really mean it."

"Uh… yeah. It was no problem. No problem." Robin managed to get out.

'Do I ask him right now?' Anna wondered to herself. 'No, I don't think this is a good time. The others around us might hear me.' She finally decided to let go of Robin's hand.

"Hey, it was really nice talking." Anna winked at their tactician. "Let's do this again sometime!"

Robin chuckled as the redhead waved him goodbye and returned to her original marching position.

Slightly ahead of them, Lucina gritted her teeth after noticing what had gone on between Robin and Anna. It would seem her initial suspicions were proving to be correct.

She sighed. 'You really messed up. Now things will get much more difficult.' she mentally scolded herself. This action, however, was noticed by her mother.

"What's wrong?" Sumia asked. "You seem a little upset about something."

"N-nothing!" Lucina held up her hands defensively. "I was just… just taking a deep breath."

Her mother looked at her skeptically. "Ok honey, if something's bothering you, you could always talk to me about it."

"Thanks…" she absentmindedly muttered.

**A couple days later…**

After what seemed like an endless amount of marching, the shepherds and their allies finally drew near the Mila Tree. Even from a distance, before they could make out the Valmese troops dotted around the base of the tree, they could see how massive the Mila Tree truly is.

"So that's the Mila Tree." Robin remarked. "Man, it really is an eye opener."

"Whoaaa…." Lissa breathed. "I don't think I've ever felt so small…"

"I can't even see the top of it!" Basilio remarked.

"Is that… Is it in the middle of a lake?" Chrom asked. "Why is there so much water?"

"Aye sir." Say'ri confirmed. "They say that the water surrounding the Mila Tree is sacred, and blessed by Naga. The water remains clear, even if someone intentionally tries to muddy it. The Mila Tree is able to sustain such a large size because it draws from this source."

"Most impressive indeed." Frederick nodded. "So the shrine where Lady Tiki is… it hides all the way up in its branches?"

"Aye sir." Say'ri nodded. "A great staircase on the inside of the trunk leads up to it. However, it seems the Valmese have closed off the only route to its steps. Or perhaps the 'roots', I should say."

There was a moment of complete silence. One could almost hear the crickets chirping.

Suddenly, Robin burst out laughing, not at the pun, but rather at everyone's reactions. It was rather contagious, and soon everyone near them began to laugh or giggle along. The shepherd's spirits were rather high as they approached the Mila Tree.

**At the base of the tree…**

A Valmese General stroked his large mustache as he looked off into the distance. "So! They arrive at last, eh wot!" the General muttered to himself. "'Yes, come closer,' said the hairy spider to the flies…"

"General Cervantes!" one of his soldiers exclaimed. "Lord Excellus was right! The Ylissean League approaches!"

"Are you daft, boy?" The General huffed angrily. "Did you not hear what I was JUST saying?"

"A thousand pardons sir!" The soldier saluted him.

"Hm…. They've got some skill in order to make it this far." Cervantes mused to himself. "But no matter. We shall teach them of the word 'fear'."

"Beard?" the soldier asked. "Er… yes. I'm sure they would be most impressed. But perhaps…"

"FEAR!" Cervantes angrily corrected. "Fear, you deaf ignoramus!"

"Y-yes sir!" The soldier stammered. "Of course sir! I'm sorry sir!"

"They are impressive though, aren't they? My whiskers?" Cervantes asked his subordinate. "I've not shaved since my first battle, and have I ever lost? No! Not even once! Ergo, my moustache makes me invincible! It's science, my boy! Science!"

Cervantes laughed to himself. "Instruct everyone to prepare for combat."

**With the Shepherds…**

As they drew closer and closer to the Valmese, Robin pulled out his Hekseer.

"It seems that the Valmese forces are divided into groups." he told the rest of the shepherds. "There's a main force guarding the actual tree, while they have others stationed further away, possibly because they can have rotating shifts for guarding the tree. This means, we're going to have to take them all out at once, or they'll receive a large amount of reinforcements. I've already told Basilio and Flavia, and they'll lead the rest of the troops on an assault on the Valmese forts located a little further from the tree. Our task is to defeat the Valmese directly underneath the tree, and to secure the path upwards."

"Sounds good." Chrom nodded. "Is there anything special to keep in mind for this battle?"

Robin thought for a moment. "We'll be fighting on the roots of the tree, instead of on flat ground." he eventually said. "Just be careful of your footing. Otherwise, it's like any other battle. Stick to the place I've assigned to you in the past. Cover each other's blind spots, and help each other out."

Just as he was finishing his advice, the shepherds reached the ends of the roots, and began to move onto them, towards the base of the Mila Tree. The battle had officially begun.

Many of the Valmese began to panic at the sight of Robin. "It's the demon tactician!" many of them exclaimed in fear. "He's the one the escapees from Farber's group told us about!" Many of the Valmese soldiers began to feel unsettled.

"Enough!" Cervantes roared. "Unlike with Farber, I will follow the empire's laws and kill deserters where they stand! Chins up everyone! We make our stand here! Reinforcements will be making their way here shortly!"

A Valmese fighter approached Sully and swung at her, but was unable to deal damage against her shield. She merely scoffed and drove her axe into the poor soldier's shoulder. She flicked her axe to the side, throwing the Valmese into the waters below.

Another fighter charged at Lon'qu, but the swordmaster didn't even flinch. In one smooth motion, he drew his killing edge and slashed his adversary across the chest, killing him. He wiped his blade off, and prepared for the next, perhaps more worthy opponent.

In the air, Cordelia and Cherche were engaged in combat with two opposing Pegasus Knights. Both fights were of no contest. A flimsy spear of a rather new Pegasus Knight couldn't hope to even put a dent through the hide of an armored wyvern, but Cherche's axe certainly could harm the much softer Pegasus. As for Cordelia, she truly was a prodigy at using a lance, and her extremely aggressive fighting style gave her an extreme edge over the meeker Valmese Pegasus Knight. They both defeated their opponents at the same time, sending both the mount and the rider crashing into the waves below.

A Valmese Sniper tried to shoot at the unarmed shepherds, but was largely unsuccessful. Some of his arrows were blocked by the armored bodies of Frederick and Kellam, and when he tried to arc a few arrows over the heads of those two, Ricken easily knocked the arrows astray with a blast of his wind magic.

"Damn youuuuuu!" The Sniper grunted, firing arrow after arrow in vain, hoping that one of them would stick. His vision tunneled, and he ignored the figures moving to his side in his peripheral vision, dismissing it as the movement of his allies. He also ignored the cries of alarm from behind him, thinking it was just because they were being attacked. This meant it was a complete surprise when he heard a voice from right behind him.

"What a cupcake!" was the last thing he heard before his neck was slashed open by an assassin's dagger. Gaius stood over the body of his target and popped a sucker into his mouth. "Like taking candy from a baby!" the Assassin chuckled before darting off and rejoining the rest of the shepherds.

An enemy Hero charged after the retreating form of Gaius, attempting to avenge his fallen comrade. He was dissuaded from doing so by a couple spells from Sumia, which helped cover Gaius's retreat.

This, however, opened the Dark Flier up to being targeted by an enemy Ranger, who rode up and took aim at her.

"Big mistake!" Maribelle shouted, and blasted an Arcwind spell at the preoccupied Ranger. The spell hit her target's bow, snapping it in half. The Valmese, seeing as his ranged weapon was broken, drew his silver sword and charged.

Stahl met him head on, and stabbed his spear through the man's chest, knocking the Ranger off his horse. Without a rider, his mount panicked and galloped away.

Lucina ran at an approaching Valmese Warrior. She dodged his opponent's initial swing, and slashed in with her Parallel Falchion. The Warrior let out a grunt of pain as the weapon slashed across his pectoral muscles, but didn't faze. He swung at Lucina again, but the princess was too quick. However, this move forced the princess to the edge of the root they were fighting on. The Warrior smirked arrogantly and swung again, knowing that his opponent didn't have the luxury of space to dodge his strike this time. Reluctantly, Lucina blocked the strike with her sword, but it terms of strength, it was no contest. Lucina gritted her teeth, and attempted to hold on, but the Warrior began to slowly apply more and more force, trying to push the future princess into the waters below.

Suddenly, a blast of dark magic struck the almost victorious Warrior across the chest. This weakened the Valmese's grasp, and Lucina was able to slip away. She took the opportunity to dash around to the other side, and quickly slashed her opponent across the back in the shape of an X. She then proceeded to kick her opponent off the root of the Mila Tree.

Lucina turned back towards the shepherds. Tharja and Henry were a good distance away, so it couldn't have been them. The only one close enough to have cast that spell was Robin. The tactician seemed to be currently focusing on directing the battle, which probably meant he absent mindedly threw out the spell when he saw Lucina struggling. She smiled to herself. "Thanks."

Nearby, Gregor was busy taking on a Valmese Hero. He had the advantage, as he always favored using the sword, while his opponent clearly was better at using an axe. The two traded blows, with neither of them able to beat the other completely outright. However, Gregor was experienced, and he began to slowly chip away at his opponent, building up a slight lead over time.

Gregor's plans were interrupted by an opposing Falcon Knight that dove towards him with spear extended. 'Oi! Not good!' he thought to himself.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" came a loud shriek as Nowi barreled towards the Falcon Knight in her dragon form. She took the Falcon Knight by surprise and blasted the the wings of the pegasus with her breath attack. The impact of the attack knocked the Valmese flier off course, and sent them hurling towards the roots of the tree. They hit the ground hard, and the impacted killed both the rider and the mount.

This distracted Gregor's opponent enough for him to swing his leg and knock his opponent off of his feet. Gregor jumped on top of the Valmese and drove his sword into his opponent's chest.

Gregor looked towards Nowi, who had landed and reverted to her human form. The girl ran up to him with a smile on her face. She held up her hand. Gregor grinned cheekily, and met the Manakete's hand with his own in a high five.

Donnel was also taking on an opposing Hero. Both of them were using a sword, so he was just able to go even with his opponent. What was different between the two of them was that Donnel had friends. Olivia, seeing an opportunity, darted in and slashed at the preoccupied Hero. Against two opponents, the Valmese Hero didn't last long.

Miriel and Virion stayed towards the back, focusing an hitting the Valmese fliers. Their combined efforts made it extremely difficult for them to harass the shepherds, and Cherche and Cordelia were able to roam around the air freely.

Vaike ran at an opposing Ranger with some support from Anna's Levin Sword. Everytime the Valmese Ranger would prepare to shoot at the oncoming axeman, Anna would send a bolt of lightning hurling towards the bowman. Finally, Vaike got within range, and finished his opponent with one swing of his silver axe.

Chrom and Say'ri were keeping an enemy Warrior busy. Chrom was the main fighter, and Say'ri tried to help the Ylissean Exalt as much as possible. They slowly, but surely, beat back the Valmese Warrior. After they had defeated their opponent, Chrom looked up to see that most of the Valmese guarding the tree had already been taken care of.

{What's the plan?} Chrom asked.

Robin checked the Hekseer, and cursed. {There's reinforcements coming! Here's what we'll do… Our frontline will change places with the backline. Chrom, you and Say'ri are the closest ones to the commander. He's the only one left near the tree. I'll follow along with Henry and Tharja, and the five of us will take care of the General. Everyone else, repel the reinforcements, and act with caution.}

The shepherds immediately began to follow instructions. Chrom and Say'ri charged the Valmese General, with Robin, Henry and Tharja not too far behind.

"Eh wot?!" Cervantes seemed shocked. "It cannot be! Say'ri… my mortal enemy…"

Say'ri gritted her teeth. "General Cervantes... we meet again. Unfortunately."

"Fiend!" Chrom accused. "You invade kingdoms and bully them into submission! Why? What does it achieve?"

"Do you even need to ask, welp?" Cervantes replied. "Walhart seeks to rule the world. His great mind is beyond the grasp of common men. Once, I had dreams myself of commanding a nation… but Walhart? Aye, he dreams bigger. Mine is nothing compared to the moxie of the Conqueror! I am but a single tiny hair on the beard of a flea in his great moustache! Have you not tasted the thrill of being a part of something greater than yourself?"

Chrom shook his head. "Not at the price of inflicting cruelty and suffering, no."

Cervantes snorted. "Then I guess we have nothing further to discuss. Prepare to know the meaning of the word 'beard'." he shook his head and quickly corrected himself. "Fear! I mean fear."

"Your beard again?" Say'ri deadpanned. "Can you talk of nothing else, you imperial pig?"

With that, Cervantes lifted his tomahawk, and Say'ri charged the General along with Chrom.

They weren't alone. Robin quickly got into position a short distance away, along with Tharja and Henry. They watched the fight closely, and each prepared their own tomes.

Whenever Cervantes swung his great tomahawk around, Say'ri and Chrom were forced to back off. However, this played perfectly into the hands of Robin. It gave him and his two companions the perfect opening to launch a wave of spells at him.

Cervantes grunted as each of the three spells, Nosferatu, Ruin and Arcthunder, connected. The damage dealt to him caused the General to drop to one knee.

"Nya ha!" Henry laughed. "Just like the good ol' days. Right, Tharja?"

The female sorcerer rolled her eyes.

Robin ignored Henry's comment. "Again!" he shouted.

The three continued to launch spell after spell at the weakened Valmese General, until the General fell on his back.

Chrom stood over the fallen General. "You're on the wrong path. We'll take the one that leads to peace, not suffering. But rest easy, as your part is done."

With that, he kicked the Valmese General off the roots of the tree, and into the water below.

On the other side, things were going well. There weren't many Valmese reinforcements. Robin guessed it was just the ones that were able to get away from Basilio and Flavia's forces. In any case, they were quickly taken care of by the rest of the shepherds. Aside from a few minor wounds, which Lissa and Libra quickly took care of, everyone had made it out OK.

The shepherds took a short rest at the base of the tree while they waited for Flavia and Basilio.

Robin was sitting on the side of one of the roots, with his legs dangling off the edge. 'The water is still clear…' he mused to himself. 'I could've sworn there were so many Valmese that got pushed into the lake that fight… many of them had open wounds too… but there isn't a trace of any of that. It's like they all just… disappeared.'

His thoughts were interrupted when Lucina came and sat down next to him.

"Hey." the future princess nudged him. "Was it you that helped me beat that Warrior in the fight?"

Robin thought back for a moment. He looked away from her for a second. "Be more careful of your surroundings next time." he told her, without making eye contact.

Lucina smiled. "Thank you. You saved me… again."

Robin chuckled. "You're on the front lines, putting your own life in danger for the sake of Ylisse. I'm just directing things from the back. It's my job to help whenever possible. Don't worry about it."

"Still…." Lucina murmured. She sighed. "Robin, I'm sorry. I told you something I shouldn't have. I never had the chance to apologize to you in the past few days." she turned to face him. "I know it's hard… but can you please forget what I told you about your future?"

Robin blinked. "Oh that? Don't worry about it. The future was the future. There's no avoiding that." he didn't turn to look at Lucina, but a smile appeared on his face. "Actually, it's very useful information for me to know. Now I understand that I have to try harder to find someone in this timeline. Maybe, just maybe, with enough effort, I can change things for me this time around. So don't apologize. I must thank you for that, actually."

Lucina opened her mouth and was about to say something, offer something, but she was interrupted by Henry's call. "Nya ha! Robin, those Feroxi people are back! Chrom says he needs you."

Robin patted Lucina on the back and got up. Lucina was left squirming by herself. 'What unfortunate timing…' she thought to herself.

"Well, how did it go?" was the first thing Robin asked as he rejoined Chrom, Say'ri and the Khans.

"We had some light casualties." Basilio said. "But over all, it went well. Their camps were well hidden, and I doubt any regular army would've been able to find them. We certainly wouldn't have without your information, that's for sure. Took most of 'em by surprise. They didn't stand a chance."

"A few of the faster ones managed to slip away though." Flavia lamented. "They rushed over in this direction. I hope they weren't too troublesome?"

Robin shook his head. "No, it was completely fine on this end. We're able to achieve a clean victory because of your efforts."

Basilio laughed. "You shower us with too much praise, Robin. We didn't do much but bonk the heads of some napping Valmese soldiers."

"Say'ri, you said the Voice is located at the top of the tree?" Chrom asked, changing the subject.

"Aye, sir." The woman from Chon'sin nodded. "Now that the Valmese forces are gone, we should be able to make it up to the top of the tree. Although… we may not be able to take everyone with us."

Basilio nodded. "We'll take guard of the bottom of the tree and set up camp around it. You all have a fun time up there."

"You're not curious about meeting the Voice?" Chrom asked.

Flavia laughed. "Oh I bet the oaf is! But it's fine. The shepherds fought their way past the tree's guards, and so they should be the ones that get the honor. We could use some time for some rest and relaxation anyways."

"Very well then." Say'ri nodded. "Shall we make our way up then?"

Chrom nodded. "Let's inform the other shepherds. Lead the way."

Robin, Chrom and Say'ri headed back towards the trunk of the tree while the Khans went the other way to inform the soldiers of the plan.

**A short distance away…**

Cervantes opened his eyes and began to pant. His entire body and armor was soaking wet, but he was otherwise very much alive.

"What in the-" the Valmese General began.

"Wakey wakey!" A short, round, Sage said to him.

Cervantes's expression darkened. "Excellus! What is a toad like you doing here?"

It was the sage's turn to make an angry face. "I just saved your life, dear General. Saved you from drowning, I did! It would do you some good to show some appreciation. It takes a lot of magic to warp someone… as heavy as you."

"And why would you choose to save me?" Cervantes asked skeptically.

"Walhart says you're not allowed to die yet." Excellus shrugged. "If it were up to me, I would've let you drown as well. Now come, we have to go report to the Conqueror."

Cervantes picked himself up off the ground, and warped away with the Sage.


	25. The Threat of Silence

**Author's Notes:**

**Almost all of the first generation shepherds are married after this chapter. And on a completely different note, I never understood why this paralogue wasn't accessible, or even mandatory right after the Mila Tree chapter. It doesn't make sense for the shepherds to leave the tree, only to come back to it just to pick up Tiki.**

**On another note, I also don't understand the point of the Wind tome in the game. To me, it's always been the most worthless tome. Not Rexcacilbur or Arcwind, mind you. They're actually some pretty decent tomes. I'm talking about the basic wind tome. The way the stats are calculated, even against flying enemies, a wind tome has the only the exact same might of a thunder tome.**

**Anyways, none of you probably care about that little detail. Here's chapter 25:**

**Within the Mila Tree…**

The shepherds were making their way up the staircase embedded on the interior of the Mila Tree's trunk.

"Marry! What fighting!" Say'ri exclaimed as they continuously made their way upwards. "I almost pity the enemies of Ylisse!"

Chrom laughed. "It's mostly just Robin." he told the Swordmistress. "He makes fighting so easy. We don't really have to think. He's the one doing all of the directing and planning."

"Prithee," Say'ri scoffed. "That has to be an exaggeration. I saw how well every Ylissean fought."

"Actually," Frederick interjected. "Robin tells us to go fill certain gaps during the battle, and we always end up fighting against favorable matchups. The reason we're able to be so successful during combat is because he sets us up for success by putting us in those favorable situations."

"Yeah." Stahl agreed. The mounted shepherds had elected to leave their horses at the base of the tree, and were currently climbing by foot, just like everyone else. The only exception were their fliers, who had just flown to the top of the tree. "Ever since he's joined us, we've become almost invincible! It feels as if we cannot lose against anybody!"

"Really." Say'ri said, still a little bit skeptical. "If all they say is true, then I suppose I have a newfound appreciation for your efforts, Sir Robin."

She smiled at the man in question, who was sheepishly rubbing the back of his head at all the praise.

Lissa, meanwhile, was not having a fun time climbing the steps. "How many stairs are in a case of stairs?" she complained. "Because I'm already tired of this stupid staircase!"

"Does the Voice truly live up here?" Lucina asked.

"Aye." Say'ri replied, just as they reached the top.

They walked up to see an unexpected sight. It didn't look like it was the top of a tree at all. In fact, there seemed to be an entire field at the top of the tree. To the north side, there was a temple where, presumably, the Voice resided. Just in front of it was a fountain, and further away, the ground was covered by a lush bed of grass. There were some flowers scattered throughout.

As soon as the shepherds stepped up out of the staircase, they could feel an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquility wash over them.

"Mhm… the air here…" Chrom began. "It's so calming."

"Yeah!" Lissa agreed. "Makes you want to just lie down and take a huge nap, doesn't it?"

"Tempting..." Lucina agreed.

Robin looked around, and found that everyone around him seemed to be in the same state, seemingly mesmerized by the aura given off by area. However, he did not feel the same way.

"Odd." he muttered to himself. "It seems like just anywhere else to me."

In truth, he was feeling slightly agitated by the surrounding area if anything. He shook his head to clear his mind, as the shepherds made their way closer to the temple.

Cherche, Sumia and Cordelia were waiting for them next to the fountain. Once they saw the shepherds emerge, they waved them over.

"Ugh…." Lissa complained. "Why couldn't you have taken me with you, Sumia? I would've loved to not have to climb all of those steps."

"Oh, I suppose I could have done that. Sorry." Sumia apologized. "But… climbing the stairs also builds character."

Lissa pouted. "No wonder you ended up with Chrom. You're both the same." This earned a laugh from the shepherds near them.

"Let's find Lady Tiki." Robin suggested.

"Aye." Say'ri agreed. "Lady Tiki!" she called into the temple. "Are you here? Prithee answer!"

She was greeted by the sight of a green haired Manakete that looked slightly older than Nowi, yawning as she walked out of the temple.

"Ah! My lady!" Say'ri immediately bowed before her. "I'm glad to see you're all right."

"Lady Tiki!" Lucina bowed as well. "It's good to see you again. Even if it's not in the same timeline."

Tiki blinked and looked at Lucina for a moment. "Marth? Oh Mar-mar, is that you?"

"My name is Lucina, milady." Lucina corrected. "Although… I did go by that name for a little while."

"Ah… forgive me." Tiki apologized. "You reminded me of someone I knew." she sighed. "But he is gone now. Lost during my endless sleep."

She turned back to Lucina. "You and your father are of exalted bloodline, are you not?"

This time, it was Chrom who spoke. "Yes milady. We are."

"Do you have the Fire Emblem then?" The Manakete asked. "It should have been passed down through your family."

"Yes. I have it here." Chrom took the Fire Emblem off his shoulder and presented it to Tiki.

"Ah! What a relief to know that it has not been lost." Tiki then took a closer look. "But where are the gemstones? I only see Argent."

"Gemstones?" Chrom asked.

"Yes. There are five of them." Tiki explained. "Argent, Sable, Gules, Azure and Vert. Each of them holds a portion of Naga's power. When mounted upon the Fire Emblem, they allow one to perform the Awakening."

"The rite that allowed the first exalt to channel the divine dragon's power…" Frederick muttered.

Tiki nodded. "The very same. With the Fire Emblem's power, the first exalt was able to defeat Grima. But such power was too great for men, and so he scattered the gemstones. I have Azure here with me."

Tiki produced a blue colored gemstone, and placed it into its slot on the Fire Emblem.

"My kingdom has safeguarded Vert for generations." Say'ri offered. "However, the gem was recently stolen by Walhart's men."

"Milady," Lucina addressed Tiki. "Do you know where the other two gemstones may be?"

Tiki shook her head. "The remaining two gemstones, Sable and Gules, are no longer known to me. They may have been taken a long time ago, at the time of the Schism."

"Wasn't Regna Ferox founded during the Schism?" Robin asked, remembering the history books he had read. "Perhaps we could ask Flavia and Basilio, maybe they can help us find the other two."

"Ah!" Tiki exclaimed, as she noticed Robin for the first time. "You… you also have it…"

Robin looked around, to see who Tiki might have been talking to. Everyone around him looked just as puzzled as he was. "Wait… me?" Robin finally asked, pointing to himself.

"You… have power like mine…" Tiki murmured.

"I… do?" Robin asked.

"I… ah…" Tiki bowed to Robin. "Forgive me. I am still groggy from my slumber. My words outpace my thoughts."

"N-no! It's quite alright!" Robin hurriedly said.

"Are you well, milady?" Say'ri asked the sleepy Manakete.

"I'm… fine." Tiki murmured. "But… even now, there are those in the world that pine for the fell dragon's return. Grima's life force is growing stronger by the day… and with it, the long shadows of despair."

She looked at Chrom. "I wish to add my power to your cause."

The Ylissean Exalt smiled. "Truly? That is extremely good news."

Tiki nodded. "But… I am still sleepy. I need to perform a rite in order to restore some of my power."

"That's no problem." Chrom said. "We could use a little rest."

"It'll take me about a day. Maybe two." Tiki said nonchalantly. "Until I finish, I will be in a weakened state. Please protect me, and don't allow anyone to disturb me. You're welcome to stay here in the Mila temple while you wait."

She made her way towards the fountain in front of the temple and knelt down in front of it. The water in the fountain began to glow a faint, aqua green color. Tiki seemed to be intensely concentrating on something.

"So… uh… what do we do now?" Robin asked. "Are we staying here for a bit then?"

Chrom shrugged. "I guess so."

Say'ri nodded. "Lady Tiki will be a valuable ally. Methinks it would be worth the wait."

"Ugh… what are we going to do about dinner then?" Lissa complained. "I'm NOT walking back down all of those steps and then back up just so I can have food."

"We could go fetch some of the dried food and bedrolls from the Basilio and Flavia." Sumia suggested. "And we can sleep in the temple."

"Hooray!" Nowi exclaimed. "Slumber party!"

The shepherds chuckled at the younger Manakete's enthusiasm.

For the next few hours, Cherche, Sumia and Cordelia made repeated flights down and back up the Mila tree, transporting food, water, bedrolls and pillows. The rest of the shepherds were able to lounge around, relaxing after the battle that happened earlier that day, and enjoying the feeling of tranquility that the temple seemed to emanate. Under this influence, some of the shepherds were able to gain the courage to do something they otherwise probably wouldn't have done… yet.

**With Gregor**

Gregor was sitting outside in the field, fidgeting with the ring that he had bought for someone special to him. He wanted to give it to her so badly, but was afraid of what the others might think. After all, he was rather old by the shepherd's standards, and she appeared to be the youngest one among them. He wasn't even sure if it would be possible, since they technically weren't even of the same race. And yet, he can't help but want to stay with her, and take care of her.

"Oi! Is most troublesome indeed." Gregor muttered to himself. He chuckled. Things have changed a lot since that day he decided to betray his employers in order to help the girl. Who would've thought things would end up this way?

His thoughts were interrupted by a very energetic cry from behind him.

"Gre….gor!" Nowi sang. "Did you see us out there? The fight today. Didn't we work so well together?"

Gregor turned around and laughed. "Oh ho! We are unbeatable team!"

"So now we can relax and have some fun, right?" Nowi asked.

"Ah." Gregor's expression turned serious. "You are remembering that?"

"Don't tell me you're going to back out!" Nowi pouted. "You promised!"

"Gregor remembers." The ex mercenary nodded. "Gregor is man of his word."

"Good." Nowi smiled. "Now let's go play!"

"..." Gregor hesitated for a moment. "Before the romping and frolicking, Gregor has a gift to bestow…"

He handed Nowi the ring that he had concealed in his hands.

"Oo!" Nowi's eyes went wide. "What a beautiful ring!"

"Ring is symbol of solemn vow." Gregor explained. "Gregor is wishing to spend life with Nowi. Er, will Nowi accept?"

"You mean we can play and hang out every day from now on?" Nowi asked, reaching for the ring. "Gimme!"

"No, no. Not play." Gregor clarified. "Gregor is mangling language once more. Ring is sacred, yes? Is meaning that we…"

"Oh silly Gregor!" Nowi laughed. "Of course I know what it means! I'm over 1,000 years old, remember? You love me and want to get married, right? So just come out and say it."

"But…" Gregor grimaced. "Is difficult. Gregor is… shy man."

"Are you sure you love me then?" Nowi frowned. "Because if you don't…"

"No, no!" It was Gregor's turn to interrupt. "Gregor's heart is true. He seeks solemn bond as man and wife! Gregor prove to you." he cleared his throat. "Gregor love you, Nowi."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Nowi laughed. "I accept! But you have to promise to live as long as you can, all right?"

Gregor matched Nowi's laugh. "Gregor will be doing his best!"

**With Tharja…**

Tharja was in her own corner of the temple, far away from the rest of the shepherds. She liked to be left alone, after all. Most of the time, the shepherds did just that. However, there are some instances where one of the shepherds sought her out. More often than not, it was Libra. This was one of those instances.

Libra had always volunteered enthusiastically to be the test subject for Tharja's new hexes, which was something even Henry was not crazy enough to do. Throughout her experiments, she had learned of Libra's horrible past. She couldn't help but see the man in a different light since then.

"Tharja? Might I have a word?" The priest asked.

"What is it?" Tharja replied coldly.

"I wonder if you wouldn't mind looking into my heart once more." Libra immediately asked.

"Why?" Tharja asked.

Libra smiled. "It would be easier for you to look, than for me to tell you."

"You know, you priests can be very pushy when you want to be." Tharja smirked. "Maybe this time, I'll do more than look. Did you consider that? Maybe I'll plant a seed of terror in your soul."

"Anytime you're ready." Libra smiled, completely ignoring the sorceress's threat.

"Wow, someone's serious today." Tharja said, slightly surprised. "All right, don't move."

"I won't." Libra continued to smile.

Tharja muttered the incantations and cast the familiar spell. What she saw took her aback. She began to blush furiously. "What is… I don't understand…"

"You looked into my heart, didn't you?" Libra asked. "Then you saw the feelings I have for you."

"Why did you make me do this?" Tharja asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.

"When hearts touch, they affect one another." Libra replied. "Much like a curse does, or so you said."

"You seek to put a hex on MY heart?" Tharja exclaimed, the pink not leaving her cheeks. "You're a priest. How dare you!"

Libra shrugged. "Well, you started it."

"I most certainly did not." Tharja informed him.

"Then I guess the love must have grown naturally from my own heart." Libra said. "And how is it YOU feel, Tharja? Because while priests can do many things, casting hexes is not one of them."

"Liar!" Tharja accused. "You're lying! You have to be… otherwise…"

"Otherwise we would have fallen for each other naturally." Libra finished for her.

"Are you sure this isn't a trick?" Tharja asked, still skeptical.

"Love has no value if it is won by deception." Libra smiled.

"Then… I guess I have no choice but to believe in my heart." Tharja concluded.

"So then," Libra fished a ring out of his robes. "If I were to offer you this ring and propose marriage, would you accept?"

Tharja smirked. "You had a ring already? That's rather bold of you."

"Such fateful moments come but rarely in our lives." Libra informed her. "I did not want this one to pass me by."

"It's strange… but you seem completely different from the man I first met." Tharja confessed.

"Different in a good way?" Libra asked hopefully.

"Yes." Tharja replied. "Different in a very good way. And now you'll be the second most important person in my life… after Robin."

"I… uh… suppose I can live with that?" Libra chuckled nervously.

Tharja waved her hand. "It's just a joke. Relax. Although... " she looked at Libra directly in the eyes. "I haven't told anyone else this, not even Henry. But when I was young, I was abandoned by my own parents. I was about to starve to death in the streets of Dohlr, but Robin was the one to save me. He was... " she was about to say 'the prince', but stopped herself just in time. "In a family with great influence over Plegia, and I was just a homeless, starving girl in the back alley. But that didn't matter to him. He saved me. Eventually, I was able to make my way into working for him after I discovered my talent for magic. He was everything to me. And I loved him. Although after he joined the shepherds, it seems as if he's completely forgotten about me."

She sighed. "I've thought about telling him everything, because then I might have had a chance with him. However, I really think the right thing for me to do is not reveal his past to anyone, including Robin himself. And you're right. If I try to win his love that way, it would be out of deception, which would mean it's not real. I've recently began to accept that we'll never get together, but it doesn't mean I don't care for him anymore. His well being is still one of my greatest priorities. Is that all right with you?"

Libra stared at her dumbstruck for a moment. "Of course. I'm sorry about your past, but I guess that's something else we have in common… We both might not have had the best parents, but I hope we can move on from it together. And as for Robin, I can completely understand your devotion. I would be in a similar situation with Lady Emmeryn if she were still alive."

Tharja nodded. "Perhaps you are the man that can truly understand me." she let out an extremely rare smile. "All right. I accept your offer."

Libra returned the smile. "Thanks, Tharja. I really mean it."

**With Cherche…**

Cherche had just finished transporting everything needed for the Shepherds to stay the night at the Mila temple along with Sumia and Cordelia. As she was dismounting from her faithful wyvern, Minerva, she was greeted by Virion.

"Oh my." was the first thing Cherche said. "You look like you're about to fall over any moment."

"Yes, I'm afraid I haven't been sleeping very well lately." Virion sighed. "My cot is cold, and I've no one to share it."

Cherche giggled. "Have you ever tried seducing a lonely kitchen wench?"

"Do you think I can find happiness with just a random lass?" Virion looked slightly offended. "I have standards, dear."

"There's as many maids as stars in the sky." Cherche retorted. "Surely there must be SOMEONE you like."

Virion smiled. "Yes, and you know full well who it is."

"Oh, Virion." The pinkette grimaced and turned away from the man in question. "We've talked about this before. We're too close to each other!"

"Yes we are close." Virion agreed. "Closer perhaps than two people have ever been! I can no more imagine being without you than being without air or water! How can another woman be anything but a shadow of what you are to me?"

Cherche stared at the man for a moment before giggling again. "Now you're just practicing lines for your next conquest."

Virion had a dead serious look on his face. "You, of all people, should know when I am being sincere."

Cherche sighed and looked away. "Yes, I suppose that I do."

"And though I fear your answer, I have one final card to play." Virion said, reaching into his pocket. "I have brought you something."

He presented to Cherche a ring.

"Is… that what I think it is?" The Wyvern Lord asked skeptically.

"If you think it's an engagement ring, then yes." Virion replied. "Do you believe me now?"

Cherche blinked for a moment. "I suppose I must."

"Then what is your answer?" Virion asked anxiously. "Will you accept?"

Cherche giggled once again. "I think I have to. Who ELSE would agree to be YOUR wife?" her expression then turned serious. "I must warn you though, once we tie the knot, your days of maids will be over. Stray from me but once, and I'll serve you to Minerva as a snack."

"Nothing will be further from my mind!" Virion declared. "Well, the maids part. I'm quite concerned about your little pet, after all."

"Did you hear that, my sweet Minerva?" Cherche asked, stroking her mount's head. "You must ensure he keeps his promise."

Virion pulled his wife to be into a hug from behind. "You need not worry, my love. In the past, I have acted in that way because I was still searching for the right person. But now that I have found it, those days of mine are indeed over."

Cherche smiled, internally feeling extremely relieved. "Good. As long as you stay true to me, I will forever remain loyal to you."

**Later that night…**

It was already dark outside. Most of the shepherds were already asleep inside the temple. However, Robin was not one of them. He kept fidgeting and rolling around his bedroll, not seeming to be able to find a comfortable position. His entire body seemed to feel extremely agitated.

Finally, he decided that he would not be able to fall asleep, and decided to get up and walk outside.

He could feel the difference immediately when he stepped out of the temple. It was as if the temple itself was telling him that he did not belong in there. Robin decided to lay down in the field, and admire the stars. He sighed, remembering his encounter with Lucina on the ship while they were traveling to Valm.

"It's such a large dilemma." Robin muttered to himself. "I enjoy spending time with her so much… and yet… the closer we get, the more I have to remind myself that you can't end up with her." he sighed. "Being with her is just like drinking. I enjoy it in the moment, but the more I do it, the worse it is for me."

Meanwhile, Lucina was also awake. It wasn't that she had trouble falling asleep. In fact, the temple seemed to make it easier for her to sleep than normal. Not a single nightmare or unpleasant thought troubled her.

She had often slept in congregations such as this before in her own timeline, and due to the constant threat of being attacked by Risen, her body had been programmed to be easily stirred from her slumber. The sound of Robin getting up and muttering to himself was enough to arouse her from her sleep. She noticed him leave the temple, but didn't see anyone else go with him.

She shifted her body so that she was lying on her side, and began to wait. However, Robin didn't return for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, she decided to get up herself and check on the tactician. She slowly picked herself up, and quietly made her way towards the exit. This was extremely courteous, though completely unnecessary, due to the fact that the rest of the shepherds had fell into a deep and peaceful slumber as soon as they got onto their bedrolls inside the temple.

It really was dark outside. The dimly lit torches inside of the temple seemed as bright as the sun by comparison.

"Robin?" Lucina warily called out. "Robin? Are you out here?"

"Over here." she heard the familiar voice call out to her from a little bit to her right. She made her way over to it. She found the tactician lying down on a hill in the middle of the field.

"What… what are you doing out here so late?" Lucina asked him.

Robin chuckled. "I couldn't sleep, so I came out to look at the stars."

"Could I…" Lucina cautiously asked. "Do you mind if I stay out here with you too, then?"

Robin hesitated for a moment. "All right." he finally said.

Lucina laid down next to him. They were extremely close to each other, with only a few inches of space separating them.

"Oh? This feels… really weird." Lucina admitted.

Robin laughed. "Right? The ground is slightly slanted here, so it's kind of a weird feeling when we lie down. It's as if my brain doesn't know whether I'm lying down or standing up. It would be really difficult to describe this feeling to anyone else."

"So… uh, you said you had trouble sleeping?" Lucina asked.

Robin chuckled. "Yeah. My whole body felt agitated. It's as if something was keeping me from falling asleep."

Lucina furrowed her eyebrows. "That's really weird. Everyone else is sleeping really easily. Don't you feel extremely relaxed inside?"

Robin shook his head. "No. I'm not sure why. I know everyone says that, but I'm really not feeling it."

"That's weird…" Lucina murmured, but dropped the subject.

"So… what are you exactly looking at?" Lucina asked after a moment of silence.

"The constellations." Robin replied. "They're really easy to see from here. See? That one is Taurus."

The tactician pointed at a group of stars. "It resembles a bull with horns. It's also your astrological sign."

"Oh? What does that mean?" Lucina asked curiously.

"You're astrological sign is based on what day you were born on." Robin chuckled. "I'm merely an amateur at astronomy. But if I recall correctly, it means you're cautious, practical and resistant to change."

"I… guess I'm sort of like that?" Lucina said dubiously.

Robin chuckled. "You don't have to take it too seriously. It's a generalization. After all, not everyone born within a one month period will behave the same way, right?"

Lucina nodded in agreement. "What about father? Which one is his?"

"His birthday is the 27th of May." Robin recited. "Which makes him a Gemini. That group of stars over there." Once again, he pointed it out to Lucina. "Can you see it? It's kind of like two stick figures holding hands. It's the constellation of the twins."

"I see it!" Lucina exclaimed. She was actually really enjoying spending time with Robin like this. Just the two of them, without anyone else interfering. She could get used to it.

"Gemini are supposed to be adaptable and flexible, as well as being good at communication and socialization." Robin told the future princess. "Perfect summarization of Chrom, do you agree?"

Lucina laughed. "Too true."

She turned Robin. "Well, what about you? What's your sign?"

Robin once again, pointed out a third group of stars. "If my birthday is the one that Tharja told me, then it's that one, right there. It resembles a lion as it is laying down. It's the constellation Leo."

"And what does that mean for you?" Lucina asked.

"Enthusiastic, faithful, and resistant to change." Robin recited. "Personally, I'm not sure how to feel about it myself..."

He was interrupted by a soft sneeze made by the princess lying down next to him.

Robin chuckled. "You're cold?"

"Yeah, I guess." Lucina giggled nervously. "I'm only wearing my sleep clothes right now. Maybe I didn't think things through before coming out here."

Robin sat up and took off his cloak. "Here." he said, offering it to Lucina.

"You'll… you won't feel cold then?" Lucina asked as she accepted it, and wrapped it around herself. Immediately, her nose was hit with an extremely nostalgic smell. She was tempted to run away as fast as she could, and never give the cloak back, but she also knew that it would probably worsen the relationship she had with Robin.

Robin laughed. "I just really like wearing that cloak. I don't actually feel the cold."

Lucina smiled and rested her head back down on the ground. She inched herself closer to Robin.

"Hey…" Lucina began. "Could you tell me about my friend's constellations then?"

Robin nodded. "Of course. Just tell me the birthday."

Lucina smiled. "The first is Severa. Her birthday is the 21st of January."

Robin pointed at another group of stars. "Her's is that one. Aquarius…"

He heard a yawn escape the princess's lips. "Am I boring you?" Robin chuckled.

"No… no!" Lucina hurriedly replied. "It's just… I may be feeling a little bit tired."

"Of course." Robin nodded. "It's only natural. It's been a long day. Do you want to head back and sleep then?"

"No." Lucina quickly said. "I think I want to stay out here a little bit longer…" With you, she wanted to add, but couldn't find the courage to do so.

Robin shrugged. "All right then, suit yourself."

The two stayed out and chatted about the stars for a while. Actually, it was mostly Robin talking, with Lucina listening as the tactician divulged all the information he knew to her. Robin helped Lucina find the astrological signs for many of her friends.

"Well, who is next?" Robin asked. He was greeted by silence.

Robin listened very carefully, and could hear the steady rhythm of Lucina breathing in and out.

"It appears she's fallen asleep." Robin mused to himself. "She must have been tired."

Sighing, the tactician got up. He softly picked Lucina up in a bridal carry, and began to walk back towards the temple. As he picked her up, the girl began to stir just a little, but still remained asleep, which was a testament of how tired she actually was. Lucina unconsciously nuzzled her head into Robin's chest as he walked.

Once inside, he gently set the girl down on her own bedroll. He retrieved his cloak from the girl, and covered her up with a blanket.

"Sweet dreams, princess." Robin muttered, before heading back outside. Something about the temple just didn't sit well with him.

He found that it was indeed much easier to fall asleep outside, and plopped himself down in the field. 'Hopefully, it doesn't rain tonight.' Robin thought to himself, and finally felt himself slip into the realm of dreams for the first time that night.

**The next morning…**

Lucina woke up in her own bedroll.

"Weird…" she muttered to herself. "I don't remember falling asleep here…"

She tried to remember what had happened the previous night. She was… outside the temple, stargazing with Robin. And then…

The future princess thought hard. Robin was talking to her about all the constellations, but for some reason she couldn't remember coming back to the temple. Which means… either it was all a dream, or Robin had CARRIED her back to the temple.

She quickly dismissed the first possibility. It's been several years since she had a pleasant dream, not to mention, she'd never had dreams that seemed so realistic. But, then that only leaves the second option.

"Oh no…." she muttered as she covered her blushing face in embarrassment.

Lissa, who happened to be nearby, noticed this.

"Lucina?" she asked. "Are you all right? Do you have a fever?"

"N-no!" she hurried waved her hands and shook her head. "I-i'm fine! Really!"

"Are you sure?" Lissa asked skeptically. "It wouldn't be good if you go into battle feeling sick. I could take a look at it for you."

"I'm fine really." Lucina said. She hurriedly rolled up her bedroll and left the temple. "Bye! Thanks aunt Lissa!"

Outside, Chrom, Say'ri and Robin were gathered near Tiki.

"Good morning, father." Lucina greeted. "Good morning Robin. Good morning Say'ri."

They greeted the future princess, but then returned to their own conversation.

"So if what Lady Tiki said was true, she should be done with the rite by today." Chrom was saying. "We should figure out a plan of action while we wait."

"Good idea." Robin agreed. "What information do we have on Walhart's forces?"

"The Valmese army consists of three main divisions." Say'ri offered. "One controls the north, another the south, and a third, the lands in between. Emperor Walhart controls the northern force, and their force easily exceeds our own. My brother, Yen'fay, controls the southern one, and his might is said to rival Walhart's own."

"Divisions?" Robin muttered. "Hmm…"

"Uh oh." Chrom joked. "I see a plan brewing in those eyes of yours."

"Say'ri, what about this third division in the middle? What's their strength like?" Robin asked.

"The third division is said to be the weakest." Say'ri said. "They're stationed at Fort Steiger, which is not far from where we are now."

"So… maybe we can start by defeating this middle division then?" Lucina asked.

"Well, I think I might have a plan in the works." Robin smiled. "But I'm gonna need some time to think over it, and we should really go over it with Basilio and Flavia as well."

Chrom nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe I can get Sumia and Cordelia to ferry them up here."

Suddenly, the exalt squinted past Tiki, into the distance. "Is… that what I think it is?"

Robin saw the figures in the distance too. He pulled out his Hekseer. "Damn it! Risen? Now?"

"Everyone!" Chrom called. "Prepare for battle! The Risen are here!"

The shepherds scrambled into place. They had brought their weapons with them, and with the exception of their horses, they were ready for battle in moments.

"Everyone, the goal is to keep the Risen off of Lady Tiki." Robin explained. "We'll stay in a circular formation around her. Kill anything that comes remotely close to her. They are all fliers, so Gaius, you can put your daggers away and use only your bow. Virion you'll be needed just as much."

They gathered around Tiki just as the Risen were beginning to close in on them. They seemed to completely ignore the shepherds, and attempted to fly above and around them. This proved to not be effective, as it just made it easier for Gaius and Virion to shoot them down.

Maribelle and Ricken killed equally as many with their wind magic. Sumia, Miriel, Henry, Tharja, Nowi, Anna and Robin helped out as much as possible with magic of their own,

"Focus on the Falcon Knights, Virion and Gaius!" Robin called as he blasted a Griffon Rider with an Arcthunder spell. "The other ones go down to magic much easier."

The archers did just that. The Pegasi did prove to be much easier to kill with the arrows as well.

"Like shootin' fish in a barrel!" Gaius chuckled as he nocked another arrow onto his killer bow.

Nearby, Maribelle was clearing the area above them of Wyvern Lords with her Arcwind magic. On the other side of their encirclement, Ricken was doing the same, but to a group of Griffon Riders.

Henry and Tharja were also helping as much as they could. However, their dark magic proved to be much less effective against targets that were already dead. Tharja gritted her teeth as she switched to the Elthunder tome she kept for emergencies, and Henry did the same and pulled out an Elfire tome of his own.

Sumia had not decided which elemental magic she wanted to become most proficient at yet. This meant she couldn't use the stronger tomes yet, but she HAD been able to master the easier ones. In this case, she was able to make herself useful by switching over to wind magic, and aimed Elwind after Elwind at the enemy fliers.

Nowi spent as much time as her dragonstone allowed in her dragon form, firing breath attacks at Wyvern Lords and slashing apart Falcon Knights.

Miriel and Anna aimed to fill the gaps, and attacked any opponents that made it past the rest of their comrades' initial barrage.

The battle seemed pretty easy, especially since their opponents were not even trying to fight back. However, after a few waves of enemies, things changed. It was as if the Risen realized the only way they could reach Tiki was to kill her protectors first. The next several waves of fliers focused exclusively on the ranged shepherds.

This also proved to be ineffective, because the rest of the shepherds stepped in to protect their comrades in arms.

Frederick, Sully and Kellam body blocked for Anna, Gaius and Miriel respectively, and forced the assailants back with their lances.

"Chrom! Lucina! Focus on the Wyvern Lords!" Robin called. "Your swords were designed to slay them!"

"Right!" Chrom yelled in affirmation. His Falchion was able to cut through the tough hide of the Wyvern Lords like a hot knife through butter, after all.

Lucina followed her father's lead, and exclusively hunted down the enemy wyverns.

After another couple of waves, the Risen seemed to learn how to adapt again, and began to target the front lining shepherds as well. The massacre turned into a full blown battle as both sides clashed.

Vaike parried the strike of an enemy Griffon Rider, and held the enemy in place as Miriel had an easy shot with her Arcfire tome. He turned to his wife and smiled, but Miriel only pointed back towards the Risen, reminding him to focus.

Gregor was engaging an enemy Wyvern Lord. He was using his sword to parry all of his opponent's attempts to kill, which meant it was difficult for the Wyvern Lord to land a blow onto him, but at the same time, he also couldn't seem to damage his opponent. His strikes bounched harmlessly off the wyvern's hide, and its rider was intelligent enough to stay far enough away.

"Oi!" Gregor eventually called. "Gregor is needing a little bit of the help with this one! Very resilient."

Nearby, Lucina turned towards him. "I'm coming!" she called as she ran towards them with her Parallel Falchion ready. She was able to slash apart the Wyvern Lord in a matter of a couple swings.

"Oh ho!" Gregor laughed. "Gregor is wishing he had weapon like yours! Make fighting dragon much easier!"

For Lon'qu, Olivia and Say'ri, defending a target proved to be quite difficult, as their speedy style of fighting favored dodging out of the way instead of attempting to block an attack. However, Lon'qu found a way around this issue, and began to run away from the encirclement, take out an enemy, and run back in formation once again. The other two swordmistresses quickly began to follow his lead.

In the air, Cordelia and Cherche flew above Tiki, protecting her from any attacks from above that their mages and archers missed. The two began to work better and better as a team, since they were the only close ranged aerial fighters in the shepherds. They had plenty of time to work on fighting together, and this was indeed one of those times. Cherche engaged an enemy Griffon Rider, while Cordelia engaged a Falcon Knight that was trying to blindside her.

Robin was pleased with how things were going, until a blast of wind blew Donnel backwards. The boy landed on his back, several feet away from where he had been standing.

"Donny!" Lissa cried in alarm as she ran over to heal the farm boy.

'That's a Rexcalibur spell!' Robin thought to himself. 'Since when could Risen cast such difficult spells?'

He looked off in the direction of where the spell came from, and saw a Risen riding a Falicorn.

"Virion! Gaius! Change the priority of your targets to the ones riding the black pegasi!" Robin quickly called. "They are capable of using some deadly magic!"

He heard the calls of affirmation from the two, and immediately, the Dark Flier Robin was looking at received an arrow to the skull.

Robin was pulled out of his thoughts by a cry of alarm. A Wyvern Lord had managed to catch Say'ri out, and knock her off her feet. She was lying on the ground, on her back, clutching one of her killing edges with both hands, holding her opponent's axe in a deadlock and desperately trying to stop the Wyvern Lord from splitting her skull in two.

Robin quickly ran out of their encirclement towards her. He fired a spell as he simultaneously pulled out his scythe from the air.

As he quickly closed in, he swung his weapon around, cleaving the Risen's Wyvern across the neck from shoulder to mandible. He then flicked the weapon around, and slashed the Wyvern Rider off its mount.

Once the enemy had been disposed of, Robin leaned down and helped Say'ri back onto her feet.

"My… thanks." Say'ri panted, completely out of breath.

"Don't mention it." Robin replied. "We still have to kill the rest of them."

They hurriedly ran back into their formation around Tiki.

When they returned, Libra was busy tending to the wounds of Stahl. He seemed to have burns all across his arms and face, leaving his skin an extremely pink color.

"What happened?" Robin asked the viridian knight.

"I got hit from a fire spell." Stahl laughed sheepishly. "I guess I'm much worse at fighting when I'm off my horse."

"Hold still." Libra reminded him. "I think you might be done in this battle. This will heal, but any more wounds could prove fatal."

"Oh come on!" Stahl complained. "It was much worse a few moments ago! And besides, I just got caught off guard by one of those magic casting Risen! It won't happen a second time!"

"Take it easy." Libra retorted. "I, much like everyone else and especially Sully, would prefer you alive rather than dead."

"Stick right next to Tiki." Robin said. "You'll be her last line of defence for the remainder of the battle. If anyone gets past the rest of us, you can help defend her."

Stahl finally seemed content with that arrangement.

With that, Libra and Robin returned to help the rest of the shepherds. They had little to no trouble handling most of their opponents, except for the occasional Dark Flier.

Gaius and Virion made sure to stop everything they were doing and shoot them down at all costs as soon as they appeared. The worst wounds on the shepherds' side had all been due to this particular type of Risen.

"What the-" Robin suddenly heard Chrom exclaim as an enemy Griffon Rider charged him.

"Naga's… wench… kill… Voice…" The Griffon Rider groaned.

"This one talks?" Chrom said, dumbstruck.

"Don't ask questions!" Vaike called back. "Gut 'em first!"

Gaius shot the Griffon Rider with an arrow to the shoulder, and enabled Chrom to slash his sword across the Risen's chest, killing him.

After this particular Risen died, Robin noticed that there were no more Risen joining the fight.

'That must have been a leader of some sort.' he thought to himself.

The shepherds quickly cleared the area of the rest of the Risen.

"How did the Risen know to come here?" Lucina asked once the fighting had been finished. "After all, hasn't the Voice been here for a millenia? Why now of all times?"

"Aye, I wondered that myself." Say'ri said.

"There has to be someone controlling them." Robin concluded. "Someone must have alerted the controller to Tiki entering that rite of hers. And as a result, they sent the Risen to attempt to kill her when she was vulnerable."

"So what you're saying is…" Lissa began.

"There must be a traitor among us." Robin finished for her. "Remember? Chrom was betrayed in the future by one of his allies."

Everyone shifted around, not knowing what to feel about that statement, even though it made sense.

Chrom finally ended the awkward silence. "There's no use doubting anyone's loyalty right now." the Exalt said. "We need to focus on the task at hand, which is to beat Valm. We can stand here and blame each other all day, but that won't accomplish anything. Best case scenario, it ruins our ability to fight cohesively as a unit."

Lucina nodded. "I agree."

"I have another question." Frederick began. "Aren't fighters supposed to lose the will to fight when they enter this area? Didn't we mention that at some point before?"

Say'ri nodded. "Aye, sir. I believe I said something of the sorts."

"So why were they able to pick up arms against the Voice?" Frederick asked, completely puzzled.

"This is what I think," Robin began. "This area does something to everyone's soul, and not their actual body. Or something along those lines. Regardless, whatever it does, it affects living beings, but not the undead. Which is why whoever sent the Risen chose to send them instead of actual soldiers." The tactician shrugged. "At least, that is my guess."

"But then why were we able to fight them off?" Frederick asked. "Wouldn't it affect us too?"

Robin shrugged again. "I don't know the details. My best guess is that since we took up arms with the intent of defending the area, it didn't affect us in the same way. After all, non aggression and pacifism are not the same things."

He pointed to the corpses that were rapidly disintegrating into black smoke. "Regardless, these Risen may have actually been sent to us as a gift."

"What… do you mean?" Lucina asked slowly, ALMOST offended that Robin would call the Risen a gift. She had witnessed enough of their destruction in the future to understand that.

"Well, take a look at everything they left behind." Robin gestured towards the ground. There were weapons of all sorts laying where the corpses of the Risen used to be. Not just any weapons though, high quality ones. There were silver lances, silver axes, short axes, and a wide variety of high end tomes.

"While many of you would feel squeamish at using an undead's weapon, we can't deny that it's some really high quality stuff." Robin said. "It's better than what we were able to clean up from the Valmese corpses. And especially the tomes. These ones aren't cheap. Even if we don't find a use for them, I'm sure Anna would be able to add quite a pretty penny to our coffers if she were to sell them."

"You're just my type!" Anna squealed happily, and to the dismay of Lucina. "Finally, someone who is also a profiteer!"

"But… aren't they difficult to wield?" Sumia asked hesitantly.

"In our previous endeavors, the minimal usage of tomes of extreme quality had been limited by both our lack of material capital, and lack of proficiency." Miriel explained. "Sufficiently speaking, our proficiency in the magical arts has only increased since many moons ago, and material capital, in this particular instance, is no longer of concern, due to the fact that we are pilfering the tomes from the Risen."

"Exactly!" Robin snapped his fingers. "With all of these tomes, Bolganone, Rexcalibur, Thoron, just lying around, it would be a waste if we didn't try and get familiar with them."

"But… I don't think I'm good enough to be able to use them…" Sumia murmured. "I honestly don't know if I ever will be. I still consider the lance my best weapon."

"These things all take steps." Robin said. "Now that the more experienced mages have these tomes to practice with, we can afford to distribute some of the other tomes more liberally. You can begin to practice the Arc line of magic."

Sumia nodded her head. It made sense after all.

At this moment, Lissa nudged Robin's arm.

"What is it?" The tactician asked.

In response, Lissa pointed to where Tiki was. She had gotten up and her eyes were glowing a faint aqua green color.

"Lady Tiki," Say'ri greeted her. "Are you unharmed?"

Tiki closed her eyes, and when they reopened, the glow was gone.

"Yes." She replied. "Thanks to everyone. I apologize for the delay, but the rite has borne fruit."

"So, you've taken in the power of the divine dragon?" Lucina asked.

"Some of it… yes." Tiki said slowly. "It's strange… This power had always isolated me from everyone else. Many were the days where I wept alone, cursing the charge placed before me…"

"Lady Tiki…" Chrom began, but she didn't let the Exalt continue.

"But now my power has a purpose." Tiki smiled. "The world needs it to avoid a ruinous future. And so, I shall offer it freely. Allow me to join you. I would add my power to your own."

"Are you… certain?" Chrom asked.

"I am." Tiki nodded. "I've had quite enough of living in solitude. And besides, I've always longed to learn more about this world. And now, I have a chance to help save it."

"Well, it's settled then." Chrom smiled. "We'd better get back down the tree then. Flavia and Basilio must be getting worried by now."

"I told them it would take a day or two…" Sumia offered.

Chrom chuckled. "Yes, but Basilio doesn't seem like he's the type that can patiently wait. Let's start heading down right after we clean up this mess."

The main group of shepherds slowly made their way down the seemingly endless steps inside the Mila Tree. Once again, Sumia, Cherche and Cordelia flew back and forth from the top to the bottom, carrying valuables and belongings back down to the rest of the camps.

As soon as they reached the bottom, Chrom led Robin, Say'ri and Frederick and headed directly for the Feroxi command tent.

They filled the khans in on the news of what had happened up at the top of the Mila Tree.

"Well, it's nice to have another dragon with us and all…" Basilio began. "But what should our next action be? Valm ain't gonna conquer itself."

"Here's what I think we do." Robin began as he approached the map of Valm that the khans had spread over the table.

"If the information Say'ri tells us is correct, which we have no reason to doubt," Robin began. "We should be able to form an advantage for ourselves if we disrupt their three divisions, located in these three general areas."

He gestured to three places on the map.

"We can then disrupt their communications, their supply lines, siege their weakly defended bases, et cetera." Robin grinned. "Furthermore, if we're able to introduce some misinformation here and there, it would only add to their panic and confusion. Such a large army could begin to collapse on their own."

"So in order to do this, we need to take out their middle division?" Flavia asked. "Is that what you're getting at?"

"Precisely." Robin nodded. "This should be their weakest division, and yet we reap the most benefits by going for this one rather than the other two. The decision is pretty easy, to be honest."

"So this is where they're stationed then?" Chrom asked, pointing at the map.

"Aye, sir." Say'ri replied. "At Fort Steiger, not too far away from here. I'd say, maybe a day's march away. We might stand a chance against them, but it would take speed and luck. I'd wager Walhart and Yen'fay have heard of our exploits by now, and will be beginning to mobilize to stop us. We should hurry."

"Maybe…" Robin said. "We could send the bulk of our forces slightly to the north and slightly to the south in order to try and mask our move. Even if the Valmese realize we're here, they might think we're trying to bypass Fort Steiger. Meanwhile, the shepherds can lead a charge on the fortress when they least expect it."

"What say you?" Say'ri asked.

"I say 'aye'." Chrom replied.

"Aye." Flavia agreed.

"Fie!" Say'ri exclaimed. "We could all be dead within the next day, and yet not one of you so much as hesitates. Your courage… is an inspiration. Aye, we might win this war yet!"

"That settles it then." Robin said. "We'll sleep here one last night, and begin to march towards Fort Steiger at dawn tomorrow. This should get us in the position to launch an assault tomorrow evening."

Chrom nodded. "We still need to draft up the general plan for the rest of our soldiers, but that should only take a moment or two. We'll inform them all of the plan by pegasi tomorrow morning."

Robin nodded. "Good idea. We'll also have to make sure they understand that their job is to not get involved in any unnecessary fights or skirmishes. We don't have as many soldiers as Walhart, so we have to be extremely smart about when to fight, and when not to."

"The oaf and I can draw up a route that is convincing." Flavia offered. "You all just participated in a battle, and climbed down the damned tree, so you deserve to go get a rest. Besides, I think it would be more convincing to the Valmese if Robin DOESN'T offer input on how this fake march should go."

Robin chuckled. "All… right then?"

"One more thing." Chrom said. "Apparently, the Fire Emblem requires some gemstones in order to actually work. Lady Tiki said that some of them might have gone missing during the time of the schism. We were wondering if you had any clues as to where we could find them, since, y'know, Regna Ferox was founded around then."

Flavia shook her head. "I've never heard of any gemstones."

Chrom sighed. "It's all right. It's fine if you don't."

"Actually…" Basilio began. "We did keep one of them. Its name was Gules, or something."

"That's it!" Chrom exclaimed. "That's one of them."

"And how come I didn't know about it?" Flavia demanded.

"I guess I just neglected to tell you about it."Basilio shrugged. "Anyways, we used to safeguard it, but it was lost long before my lifetime."

Chrom's expression fell. "Damn. We still don't have any leads then."

"It's all right." Flavia told him. "We'll worry about it another time. For now, just go rest, and give us some time to plan."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Robin smiled.

Chrom, Robin, Frederick and Say'ri bid good evening to the Feroxi khans, and promptly left the command tent.

**Tiki: HP: 130% Str: 60% Mag: 45% Skl: 55% Spd: 50% Lck: 80% Def: 60% Res: 60%**

**Age: 3000+**

**Class: Manakete**


	26. Inexorable Death

**Author's Notes:**

**When I first began this story, I wrote the summary in one go. The one that's been posted was a first draft, actually. However, now I've realized that the summary probably isn't very good. I'll work to try and change it in the near future.**

**In the meantime, here is chapter 26:**

**Some time in the distant future…**

A teenaged Lucina was woken up by a very panicked Cynthia.

"Big sister!" the younger girl cried as she barged into her room. "Wake up!"

"W-what's wrong?" Lucina asked in alarm. "Calm down!"

"It's the Risen!" Cynthia exclaimed. "They're invading the castle! Mother told me to wake everyone up!"

"Right!" Lucina got up from her bed and reached for her Falchion. "We have to fight them back!"

"W-we can't!" Cynthia cried, tears brimming in her eyes. "They took our lookouts by surprise! They're just like those incredibly smart Risen we encountered the other day! Most of them are already dead by now! Almost none of the civilians or militia survived."

"W-what!?" Lucina stammered. "Why only them?"

"Your room is one of the furthest away from where they broke in." Cynthia explained, sniffing. "They haven't had the time to reach this hallway yet. I've already woken up everyone else. We need to make it to the library! Everyone is waiting for us!"

"Right." Lucina nodded. The library was were there was a secret tunnel leading out of the castle. The group had been making plans to take it and leave for Mount Prism in the next couple of days, but it seems like a tragic turn of events will cause the need for them to accelerate their plans.

The pair of sisters ran out of the room and towards the library. They tried to avoid any of the major paths through the castle, and managed to get by with only running into two of the Risen. The sisters were able to catch them by surprise, and despite their alarming skill for an undead soldier, Lucina and Cynthia were able to come out on top without so much as a scratch.

Once they reached the library, they were greeted by the rest of Lucina's friends, as well as her mother and uncle Lon'qu. It was a little awkward to see Gerome's Wyvern, as well as Cynthia and Sumia's pegasi in the library, but it was dire times, after all.

"There you two are!" Sumia exclaimed, quite relieved. "We have to hurry! The Risen will be here soon!"

"This is all the people we have left?" Lucina asked in surprise.

Iniga nodded. "Everyone else died, trying to fight the Risen. We only made it here safely because Yarne and Gerome managed to cause one of the halls to cave in. The only thing preventing them from following us is the rubble blocking them, and I doubt it will hold them for long. They'll either find a way around, and clear through the rubble in a few minutes."

"There's no time to waste then." Lucina stepped forward.

She activated a secret switch embedded in one of the book cases. Two of the seemingly normal shelves located at the back wall of the library moved to the side, revealing a large opening and a staircase leading downwards, into a dark tunnel.

"Your mounts will need to keep their wings tucked in while we're down there, but they should be able to fit." Lucina told the fliers of their group. "Hurry!"

Lucina began to direct everyone into the tunnel. Laurent led the way, with a torch held up, lighting the dark tunnel for everyone behind him.

Soon, the only three left that were still in the library were Lucina, her cousin Owain, and her uncle Lon'qu.

"All right, everyone's safely departed." Lucina said. "Let's go as well."

"No." Lon'qu stated. "I'm staying."

"What!?" Owain roared. "Dad, no! You can't! They'll kill you!"

"If someone doesn't stay back and block the entrance, the Risen will find it and follow us." Lon'qu retorted. "These ones are smart. They can not only smell us, but they can also pick locks, formulate battle plans, and launch sneak attacks! Finding a secret entrance will not be difficult for them!"

"We can close it using the switch on the inside!" Lucina protested. "Please, uncle, come with us!"

Lon'qu shook his head. "It won't be enough. I'll stay back and knock over some bookshelves in order to block the way. Even then, it won't be guaranteed to stop them. It would only buy you a little time."

"No dad!" Owain protested. "This is madness! We NEED you! We need you to protect us!"

"No you don't." Lon'qu walked up next to him and placed a hand on the back of his son's head. He brought his own forward, so that their foreheads were touching. "You are strong now. I've taught you everything I know about the blade. You can be the protector of your friends in my place. And remember, your friends are strong too. Whatever you do or wherever you go, Owain, know that I am proud of you. I'm proud to have been your father. Now GO!" he ordered, as he pushed his son away.

Owain looked like he wanted to say something back. There were tears in his eyes. But he knew when his father was dead serious, and this was definitely one of those times. Owain gave his father one last nod. "I'll make you proud, dad. I promise you." He then turned around, and heading down the tunnel himself.

"Must you stay?" Lucina asked one last time, after Owain had left.

"Yes, Lucina." Lon'qu told her softly. "I've looked forward to this day for a long time now. The day where I can finally rejoin your aunt. Do not mourn my death. I should have died a long time ago. Had I not been sick that day… I would've met the same fate as Chrom, Robin and… and Lissa." Lucina could see tears begin to well up in the unshakable swordmaster's eyes.

Lucina felt a pang in her own heart as she remembered that same day. The last day she had seen her father, and the last day she had seen Robin. That fateful day in history several years ago would be forever ingrained within the heads of her and her friends.

"All right then." Lucina said. "If you've already made up your decision, then I won't try to stop you anymore."

"Your mother and I were talking the other day." Lon'qu nodded. "She may be the reigning exalt, but she told me herself that she lacks the necessary leadership skills. You, on the other hand, are a splitting image of your father. You have his strengths, and especially his ability to lead. I know of Naga's plan, and I know that with you at the helm, this group of youngsters will be more than enough to change the past… for the better."

Lon'qu sighed. "I told Owain something similar, and I would like to say the same thing for you, in place of some of my departed friends. If Chrom saw what a wonderful leader and what a wonderful woman you've become, he would be overcome with joy. The same thing could be said for Robin. Wherever they are right now, know that they're looking down at you with great smiles across their faces. They are, and always will be, proud of you."

Lucina began to felt tears begin to roll down the side of her own cheek. "Thank you… uncle Lon'qu." she murmured.

"Go now." Lon'qu nudged her on the back. "You have your people to lead, and a past to save."

Lucina nodded one last time, and gave Lon'qu a forced smile. "Take down as many as you can."

Lon'qu gave her the last genuine smile of his life, and the first one since he had found out about his wife's death. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Lucina went down into the tunnels herself. Once inside, she hit the lever that caused the entrance to close up.

When the secret tunnel had been covered once again, Lon'qu walked around to some of the other bookcases. He slammed his body into one, forcing it to get knocked over, covering where the entrance would be. Books spilled off the shelves, and made the shelf for the secret tunnel all but inaccessible.

He managed to finish just as the Risen began to pour into the library.

Lon'qu turned to face them, and slowly drew his killing edge.

"Wait for me just a little longer, Lissa…" Lon'qu murmured to himself. "I'll be joining you soon."

He roared, as he charged the Risen that were about to swarm him.

Meanwhile…

Lucina finally exited the tunnel at the other end. The moon was still high in the sky, and was the only source of light aside from Laurent's torch.

"We have to make haste for Mount Prism!" Lucina told everyone seriously.

"Where's uncle Lon'qu?" Cynthia asked, not noticing the sad expression of her cousin.

"He's… he elected to stay behind, and cover our retreat." Lucina explained. Everyone's faces fell.

"That's why… that's why we MUST make it to Mount Prism!" We HAVE to follow Naga's plan, and we MUST succeed." Lucina said with conviction. "That's the only way we can honor the sacrifices of those who died so that we could have this opportunity. So let's hurry, for the Risen will catch up to us in no time. We have a past to save!"

She was answered with a chorus of affirmations. The young shepherds, as well as Sumia, ran off into the night, in the direction of Mount Prism.

They didn't get very far before a group of Risen jumped out at them from the shadows, in the form of a sneak attack.

A Risen fighter leapt at Lucina with its axe raised high. Lucina's eyes bulged, as she hastily reached for her Falchion. Deep down, though, she realized that she won't have the weapon ready in time to block the blow.

**The "Present", under the Mila Tree…**

Lucina sat up from her bedroll as soon as she awoke. Even though she knew exactly how things turned out due to it being one of her memories, she still felt the feelings of fear and panic as if she didn't know the outcome. It was precisely these unwelcome feelings that immediately aroused her from her peaceful slumber. She was panting, and her heart was pounding. She covered her head with her hands.

"It's another one of those lucid dreams…" Lucina murmured to herself. "Or perhaps, should I say memories?"

She sighed as she let herself lay back down on her bedroll. This feeling of waking up in the middle of the night due to nightmares was something she had grown accustomed to in the past couple of years. However, it didn't make it any easier for her to be able to fall back asleep once she had woken up.

"It's still too early…" Lucina told herself. "The sun hasn't even risen yet. But by the time I fall asleep again, it might be time to get back up."

"What to do? What to do?" She sighed in frustration at her own dilemma. "Today's the day we march to Fort Steiger too… I have to be ready to participate in the battle…"

Eventually, she decided that she won't be able to fall asleep again. She got dressed, and walked outside in order to clear her head a bit.

The first thing she noticed when she went out was that it was dark. This was nothing out of the ordinary, because the sun was not out yet.

The second thing she noticed was the flickering light from a campfire nearby.

"Who is outside at this time of the night?" Lucina asked herself. With nothing better to do, she began to approach the fire.

As she drew closer, she saw the familiar figure of Robin sitting near the fire, with an open book in his hands.

"R-robin?" she whispered as she approached the man.

Robin looked up at her from his book. "Oh? Lucina?" he asked. "What are you doing this early in the morning."

"I… uh… I couldn't sleep." she mumbled. "Nightmares…"

"Ahh." Robin nodded in understanding. "You did mention that you had that type of problem."

"W-what about you?" Lucina asked. "Are you having bad dreams too? Is that why you're out here?"

Robin chuckled. "No, I'm done sleeping for the night."

"What?" Lucina asked in surprise. "You haven't even slept for that long!"

Robin shrugged. "I've never needed that much sleep. Sure, it doesn't hurt, and it feels good to sleep in on occasion, but in reality, I can fully function on half the amount of sleep a regular person needs."

He shook his head. "I wasn't able to sleep very well last night, up in the Mila Tree, which was why I slept like a log as soon as we came back down. However, it did mean I began to sleep far earlier than what I'm accustomed to, which is why I got up so early this morning." he finished explaining. "It's actually really convenient, because it feels like I have more time in a day. It's very useful, since I seem to have around eighteen years of catching up to do."

"Wow…" Lucina breathed. "I… didn't know that about you…"

'No wonder he always had so much time on his hands!' Lucina thought to herself. 'I didn't want to believe that he was shirking his work for the halidom just to spend time with me, but he probably was doing most of it while everyone else was still asleep!'

Robin chuckled. "You may have come from the future, but there's no reason for you to know that many details about each and everyone of us, right?"

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right." Lucina murmured. 'Although, it's not like I know that much about the rest of the shepherds, I just know a lot more about YOU.' she thought to herself.

"H-hey, um…" Lucina began nervously when Robin returned to reading his book.

"Yes?" Robin asked.

"Since… y'know, no one is up yet… do you mind…" Lucina mumbled. "I mean, would it be OK if I sat with you until then?"

Robin looked at her for a moment and snorted. "Well, I guess so, although I couldn't see why it would be a good use of your time."

Lucina happily made her way over to him. "It's not that." she explained. "Just spending time with… with someone is rewarding enough itself."

Robin shrugged. "I mean, I guess you've been living by yourself for the past two years or so, so I guess it would make sense for you to seek the presence of others."

"Y-yeah…" Lucina said, going along with Robin's reasoning.

She turned her attention to the book Robin was reading. "Is… that what I think it is?"

"Yes, if you recognized it was The Waltz of the Three Kingdoms." Robin replied. "Once in a while, I like to relax from my studies by reading some works of fiction."

"Then… do you mind reading it aloud?" Lucina requested. "So I can listen to it as well?"

"You're definitely related to Lissa." Robin chuckled, and Lucina frowned, not knowing what he meant by that. "Although… I thought you've already read it?"

"There was an adult… my personal teacher that read it to me in the past." Lucina told him, purposely omitting any mention of Robin in her story. "We were able to get through most of it, but he stopped reading it to me once he…" 'died' she wanted to say, but didn't. "Once he stopped working for us at the castle."

"Wow." Robin nodded. "And were you young at the time?"

Lucina nodded. "Mhm. I was probably six or seven when he first started reading it to me."

"Well whoever it was, he must have really respected your intelligence to start reading this book to you at such a young age." Robin mused out loud, causing Lucina to begin to have a slight blush. "Wait a minute…" he leaned closer to Lucina's face, making the princess fidget nervously. "Could this person be the one you talked about before? The one you had a crush on?"

Lucina's eyes went wide, and her blush deepened, but she didn't deny it. Thankfully for her, it was still dark outside, and the fire wasn't enough to fully illuminate the pink on her cheeks for Robin to see.

"All right, all right." Robin chuckled. "I'll stop teasing you for now. As for your request, I'll be happy to read to you, but I can't promise it'll be exactly where you left off before."

"That's fine!" Lucina hurriedly said. "I know most of the story after all, I'm sure I won't mind listening to some parts again, or even if a portion of it is skipped."

Robin began to read out loud. As he was still in proximity to some of the other tents, he made sure he wasn't talking too loud, and his voice was barely above that of a whisper.

The passage that Robin began to read from was indeed one that Lucina had recognized. Lucina smiled and leaned in closer so she could hear him better. Eventually, she opted to rest her head on the tactician's shoulder, as it was the most comfortable position that allowed her to hear him clearly as well.

For a couple of hours, they sat in front of the fire blissfully, as Robin read to Lucina. Once the fire began to die down a little, Robin would absentmindedly throw another log or two into the fire pit, but would otherwise not stop his reading.

For Robin, he was able to continue his reading, and reading aloud wasn't too much of a pain for him. However, for Lucina, she was able to spend some precious time with Robin and evoke some of her nostalgic feelings from her childhood.

Soon, the sun began to rise. As it did, Robin stopped reading in order to admire it. Lucina also did the same.

'It's really nice to be able to share yet another sunrise with Robin…' she thought to herself. 'This feeling of being alone with him… I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of it.'

Pretty soon, the rest of the shepherds began to stir from within their tents. Robin closed the book.

"All right, that's a pretty good amount of reading we got done today." he smiled at Lucina. "The rest of the shepherds will be waking up soon, so we should get a head start on packing everything up."

"Oh, all right." Lucina replied as she reluctantly lifted her head off Robin's shoulders and got up to go towards her own tent.

Robin did the same and walked back to his own tent. Once he was sure there was no one within earshot, he let out a sigh of exasperation. "It seems that Naga really wants to mess with me." he muttered to himself. "How am I supposed to move on when she acts like that around me?" He shook his head and walked inside his tent.

**Later, in the command tent…**

"The rest of our soldiers are aware of the plan." Flavia told Chrom and the rest of the shepherds. "The shepherds, and a third of our troops will lead a charge on Fort Steiger tonight, while the rest of our soldiers will feint towards the north and south."

Chrom nodded. "Is everyone ready then? We should start marching soon then."

"I agree." Robin said. "Even though it's not that far away, some of the terrain makes it so we will advance a little more slowly than usual."

"Allow me to inform the others then, milord." Frederick bowed. The Great Knight left to go notify the rest of the shepherds.

"I'm lookin' forward to kicking some Valmese arses tonight!" Basilio laughed.

"Aye, sir." Say'ri nodded. " 'Twould be a pleasant feeling indeed. I took the liberty of informing some of my other friends from the Resistance. They should be able to get to Fort Steiger at around the same time as us, and help us in taking down this third Valmese Division."

Robin smiled. "That's some pleasant news."

Tiki also nodded. She didn't have very much to contribute, but the rest of them still felt that she deserved to know what was going on. "I shall do my best to help ensure our victory as well." she told the rest of the command tent.

Soon, the soldiers and the shepherds were mobilized and began to march.

Robin stayed towards the middle of the shepherds, and was having a conversation with Gaius, Nowi, Anna and Ricken.

"Hey, have you guys seen Olivia and Henry recently?" Nowi asked innocently. "And how they seem pretty lovey dovey with one another?"

"Really?" Ricken asked. "I haven't really noticed. Have they gotten together?"

"No, of course not!" The young Manakete giggled. "But if you look at what they've been doing together recently, it's clear they've got a thing for each other!"

"Babe and Junior?" Gaius stroked his chin as if thinking about it. "What an unexpected couple, right?"

"Right!" Nowi agreed. "They're so cute together. Olivia clearly has a crush on him, but doesn't know how to tell him. And so, she attempts to spend time with him by using 'teaching him how to express emotions' as an excuse. And Henry, even though he clearly doesn't care about the lessons, goes along with them just so he can spend time with Olivia!"

"You're quite the gossiper, aren't you, Nowi?" Robin chuckled.

Nowi placed her hands behind her back and leaned to her side. "Maaaaybe." she replied innocently.

"Although… it is pretty strange…" Robin muttered.

"What is?" Anna asked curiously.

"Well, those two haven't known each other for a long time, and yet they seem to have developed strong feelings for each other." Robin explained. "Isn't that strange?"

"Hmm…" Anna placed an index finger on her lips and looked up, as if in thought. "Yeah, now that you mention it, it is progressing a little fast, isn't it?"

'Although… I really shouldn't criticize them for that.' Both Robin and Anna were thinking at the same time. 'After all, you haven't known your crush for all that long either…'

Gaius was counting on his fingers about something. "So… if Babe and Junior end up together, then the only female shepherd that's left single would be…" his eyes drifted towards Anna. "Red."

"Yeah! Anna would be the only one left!" Nowi exclaimed excitedly. "Who do you want to end up with?" she immediately asked her, as if leading her on.

Anna giggled. "Well…" she grabbed one of Robin's arm. "Of course, there's no one I'd rather be with than this guy!"

Gaius, Ricken and Robin were all taken aback by her action.

"My, my… have you been secretly seeing Red on the side, Bubbles?" Gaius asked.

"N-no!" Robin quickly denied, with a hint of pink across his cheeks.

Seeing Robin's reaction, Anna and Nowi burst out laughing.

"Oh, it's so rare to see Robin get so flustered!" Nowi giggled. "He usually seems so stoic all the time!"

"Kidding, I was only kidding, Robin." Anna let go of his arm and tapped him on the shoulder. Even though she told Robin this, in her mind, she knew that she DID really mean it. However, deceiving someone with the truth can also be quite effective.

"Seriously." Ricken said. "Just because she's the only female shepherd that's single doesn't mean she needs to get with another shepherd. There are more people in the world, you know. And besides… what about Lucina? She's single too!"

Robin flinched at that statement.

"Oh ho!" Gaius draped an arm across the shorter boy's shoulders. "Shortstuff's fancying a chance with ol' Blue's daughter now, is he?"

Nowi giggled and went along with it. "Yeah! I bet he is! How would Chrom react, I wonder? Would probably kick him out of the shepherds like he almost did with Lon'qu!"

She and Gaius burst out laughing, much to the chagrin of the beet red Ricken. Even Anna began to chuckle a little bit.

"That's not what I meant!" Ricken protested.

Robin took a moment to look around at the other groups, and found that many of the other shepherds were also conversing as they marched in groups. They all seemed to have a joyous expression across their faces.

'It's nice that morale seems to be quite high.' Robin thought to himself. 'Even though we could very well be marching off towards our deaths today.'

He didn't notice the jealous and frustrated look that Lucina had across her face. She was marching in front of them, next to her parents, but she had been keeping an eye on Robin. Although she couldn't hear what they were talking about, she had clearly seen Anna grab onto Robin's arm.

Lucina sighed. She wanted to do something, but she simply felt too tired at the moment. Hopefully, it wouldn't affect her fighting ability later tonight.

**Later that evening…**

The sun had just set. The shepherds inched towards Fort Steiger, after taking a break a short distance away.

"Remember to follow the plan." Robin whispered to the rest of the shepherds. "Split into three groups and attack the fort from its three front entrances. The shepherds will lead the charge, and Flavia and Basilio will guard our backs with the rest of the soldiers. A big portion of our advantage comes from surprise. Remember to strike hard, and strike fast.

The shepherds split into three groups as instructed.

Chrom lead the group to the north, including Say'ri, Sumia, Lissa, Tiki, Lon'qu, Vaike, Miriel, Virion and Cherche.

The southern group was lead by Frederick, and included Donnel, Maribelle, Nowi, Gregor, Kellam, Panne, and Ricken.

This left the middle group, which was lead by Robin and was comprised of Lucina, Anna, Libra, Tharja, Sully, Stahl, Olivia, Henry, Gaius, and Cordelia.

"If there's any issues, you can contact me through the Hekseer." Robin told the other two groups before they separated. "We'll meet all of you in the throne room when this battle is over."

With that, the three groups left for the three different entrances to Fort Steiger. They kept a low profile as they approached the fort. Robin's group crouched behind some shrubbery near their entrance. There were two guards patrolling the area near the front gate.

"Gaius." Robin whispered.

"What do you need, Bubbles?" the assassin immediately responded.

"What are the chances that you could approach and take out the two guards without alerting everyone inside the fort?" Robin asked him.

Gaius smirked. "One hundred percent, Bubbles."

"That's what we like to hear." Robin nodded. "Go."

Gaius flipped out one of his assassin's daggers and smiled. "On it." He approached the front gate quietly through the shadowy areas as the rest of Robin's group watched him. Olivia bit her lip from nervousness.

Eventually, Gaius got close enough to his first victim. He made his way to the Valmese soldier's back side. The unfortunate guard was just letting out a yawn, and was completely caught off guard. Gaius forcefully covered the guard's mouth with his left hand while he aggressively slashed his dagger across the Valmese's neck. The Valmese guard didn't get to make a single sound as his life left him. Gaius slowly brought the soldier to the ground, so that there was no sound as the body touched the ground.

"Wow…" Olivia murmured in admiration, which was something that Robin noticed.

Suddenly, Stahl's horse made a loud whinny, which made the Viridian Knight's face go pale. Sully also gave her husband a murderous look.

This noise was heard by the remaining guard at the front gate.

"Who's there?" the guard asked, brandishing his lance. "You stay here, I'll go investigate the noise."

As the remaining guard said this, he turned to his left, and expected to see his partner. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of Gaius.

The assassin smiled as he grabbed the guard's face around his mouth with his left hand and slammed him into the side of the fort. The guard let out a muffled cry of protest before Gaius stabbed the man through the neck with his dagger in a reverse grip. The guard let out a sound of pain as his eyes bulged even more. Gaius swung his right arm out to the side, completely severing the guard's throat, killing him. Once again, he slowly let the body reach the ground, as to not make any extra noise.

Gaius turned towards the direction of Robin and made a gesture that meant 'forward'.

Robin nodded. "All right, let's enter the fort. Remember to cover each other's backs."

Robin's groups moved out from the shrubbery and towards the fort as quietly as possible.

As the shepherds entered the fort, they were greeted by an enemy Hero and Valkyrie.

"Who-" The Hero began, but Sully and Stahl charged in and disposed of him before he could lift his weapon.

The Valkyrie managed to lift her Bolganone tome, and raised her hand to cast a spell. However, she was interrupted by Olivia, who dashed and tumbled close enough to the Valmese to slash her sword across the book, disrupting the Valkyrie's channel. This gave Cordelia the opportunity to fly in and impale the Valkyrie with her lance.

Hearing a commotion, a Valmese Sniper and War Monk rounded the corner. However, they were not expecting to be targeted immediately.

Tharja and Henry respectively threw a Nosferatu and Ruin spell at the Sniper, killing their target instantly. Meanwhile, Anna cast a bolt of lightning on the War Monk with her Levin sword. Robin also brought out his newly acquired Thoron tome, and sent a bolt of pure electrical energy surging towards the War Monk. The cast was somewhat clumsy and unrefined, but he was still able to produce the spell. The War Monk, being much more resilient to magical attacks, didn't die, but was instead brought to one knee. He opened his mouth to yell for help, but Gaius quickly ended him with a shot from his killer bow.

"Nya ha! Not bad, not bad!" Henry remarked. "As expected of you, Robin! It could use some work, but you at least were able to cast Thoron."

Robin smiled and nodded in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, they heard some loud commotion from both their left and their right sides.

"Chrom and Frederick's groups must have started engaging the Valmese." Robin told his own group. "They haven't taken notice of us yet, so we may be able to fight our way straight to the throne room."

Everyone nodded, and they began to head further into the halls of Fort Steiger.

**Throne room, Fort Steiger…**

A beautiful Valkyrie with long, blonde hair sat upon the throne, listening to the reports from her soldiers that were stationed at the northern and southern entrances.

"Overall, there seem to only be around ten invaders." the soldier finished reporting.

"Ten?" the woman asked. "That's it?"

"Yes, General Pheros." The soldier replied.

"That means they've only assaulted us with around twenty people." The Valkyrie mused to herself. "Hmph… such arrogance. They truly mean to assault Fort Steiger with such meager numbers? Perhaps they thought a woman's garrison would be a softer target."

Pheros smirked. "By the time we're done with them, they're going to wish they'd challenged Yen'fay instead."

She turned to the guards in the room. "You may go now. Inform everyone to get into their battle formations."

The soldiers within the room saluted her, and, aside from a few of her personal guards, all left the room to fight off the invaders.

"Interesting…" Pheros murmured to herself. "I've no news from the central entrance as of yet… could it be that they didn't send anyone that way?" she shook her head. "Perhaps they thought it would be the most defended entrance. In any case, whoever is calling the shots in their group must be a fool."

**With Frederick…**

The Great Knight led his group in a fight against a group of Valmese. They had to fight in a narrow corridor, and an enemy Valkyrie was able to hit Donnel with a Rexcalibur spell, so when they finally fought off the Valmese, they paused to let Maribelle tend to her fiance's wounds.

Once they resumed moving, they turned right, only to see that there were many Valmese bodies scattered throughout the halls.

"Robin's group must have already gone through here." Frederick told his group. "Let's move forward, on the double, and go lend them a hand."

They charged forward, and entered a larger room at the end of the hall. They saw Robin's group already fighting the Valmese stationed there.

"Forward!" Frederick ordered, and his group hastily endeavored to join the fray.

"More of them?!" A Valmese Sniper wondered aloud as he turned towards the newcomers. "Someone, inform General- ACK!" he was interrupted by a well timed shot of Gaius's bow, catching the footsoldier off guard.

"How was your side?" Robin asked Frederick as the two groups joined together.

"We got slightly delayed." Frederick responded. "However, the Valmese are dead, and we suffered no casualties."

"Good." Robin nodded. "Now let's focus on the current fight, and wipe out the rest of them."

Frederick raised his lance in agreement, and charged to the front lines.

Robin turned to observe the rest of the fighters.

Sully and Stahl were, once again, working together with impeccable teamwork, quickly disposing of the Valmese soldiers that challenged them.

Nowi was in dragon form, breathing her magical bolts of energy at the Valmese backline, helping to cover for Gregor as he rushed forward with his sword in hand.

Olivia was weaving her way through the Valmese soldiers, avoiding any of the stronger soldiers. Instead, she targeted the ones without too many defenses, namely the archers, and quickly slashed them apart.

Henry and Tharja were linking their dark magic together, dismantling the front line soldiers of the Valmese one by one. Just by looking at them work together, Robin could tell they've had an extremely long record of working together.

Then he turned to Lucina. She was leading an enemy Hero around by the nose, completely in control of the fight. Her opponent kept trying to land a blow on her, but Lucina just kept avoiding everything. In contrast, the enemy Hero had several cuts and slash marks across his body and armor. It wasn't long before the Hero became too exhausted to continue, and Lucina slashed her opponent across the neck, killing him.

'She really seems like a different person on the battlefield.' Robin noticed. 'She's much more confident, but when we're off the battlefield, she, for some reason, turns into a nervous wreck. I wonder why that is.' he shook his head. "There's time for that later." he muttered to himself. "Focus, Robin. Focus."

Suddenly, a Valmese Hero charged at Olivia. Her eyes went wide as the soldier caught her off guard. He swung his axe around, and although Olivia moved her body out of the way in time, her killing edge wasn't so lucky. The strike snapped her sword in half, and knocked her down.

The Hero stood victoriously over the cowering Olivia. He raised his axe high in the air.

"Eeep!" Olivia panicked, as she covered her face with the back of her arms.

Suddenly, the Hero let out a cry of pain. Olivia looked up to see two magical wounds through the Valmese Hero's chest. One was a strange colored burn in the shape of an 'X' that could only be the work of dark magic, while the other was a bolt of electrical energy protruding from the Hero's midsection.

Olivia turned around to see both Henry and Robin with their arms raised. They had clearly been the ones to cast the spells that saved her life.

She hurriedly picked herself up, and ran back towards the shepherds.

As soon as she reached them, Henry captured the pinkette in a hug. "Hey, don't worry! The rest of us gotchu covered!"

Robin nodded. "Since your weapon snapped, you can remain towards the back for the remainder of the battle. Just focus on staying safe."

Olivia bit her lip and nodded. "S-sorry…" she apologized.

**With Chrom…**

Chrom's group was having little trouble getting through the Valmese soldiers. After all, they had Tiki with them. The older Manakete seemed way more comfortable with her abilities than Nowi, and clearly had battle experience from the past. One blast from The Voice was able to send the orderly formation of the Valmese guards into disarray. Chrom and the rest of the shepherds simply moved to pick off the stragglers.

They fought past the initial group of guards and entered into an extremely wide and extremely long corridor.

Chrom could see the Valmese located on the other side of the corridor as they began to charge his group.

Tiki, along with Sumia, Miriel and Virion, attempted to repel the attacks from a distance, and Chrom engaged anyone that got close, along with Say'ri, Lon'qu, Vaike and Cherche.

Chrom noticed an enemy Sniper taking aim at Cherche. He was about to charge the Valmese, but Vaike responded quicker.

"Looks like Teach just got tenure!" Vaike exclaimed as he brought his killer axe down on the poor Valmese Sniper. Cherche noticed, and smiled in gratitude.

However, this caused Vaike to be slightly overextended. A blast of fire from a Bolganone spell materialized where he was standing just a moment ago. Vaike quickly tried dodging backwards, but his arm got caught in the fiery spell.

"Damn!" Vaike muttered as he looked at the burn marks on his arm. He began to run back towards the rest of his group.

"Vaike!" Lissa exclaimed as she rushed towards him with her staff. "Quick! Let me take care of it!"

Vaike laughed. "So you DO care about ol' Teach!"

"Quiet, you!" Lissa pouted as she hit Vaike over the head gently with her staff. "Or maybe I'll just ACCIDENTALLY make a mistake while healing your wound."

"All right, all right." Vaike raised his arms in defeat. "Mouth is shut. Just do your thing."

"Hmph!" Lissa raised her head in satisfaction and began to heal Vaike's burn wounds.

While this was going on, Chrom and the rest of their group had taken care of the rest of the Valmese in the corridor.

"Do you hear that?" Chrom asked suddenly. "There seems to be movements from below."

"Aye sir." Say'ri agreed. "It may be reinforcements. We must be careful."

The shepherds in their group slowly made their way forward, until they reached four staircases that lead downwards, possibly into a basement for underground tunnels.

Suddenly, soldiers began to file out from underground. They didn't seem to be wearing the armor of the Valmese though. In fact, many of them didn't even have matching armor at all.

"Our comrades!" Say'ri exclaimed upon recognizing them. Suddenly, realization hit her. "But… how?"

"The Resistance has already infiltrated the castle?" Chrom asked, equally confused.

"Nay! Impossible!" Say'ri exclaimed. "Something is amiss…"

Suddenly, a short, round sage warped in between the two parties.

"Ooh!" the sage exclaimed. "It seems I'm just in time for the Rebellion reunion! Please remember to give your 'friends' a warm welcome. Remember your promise, or you'll be sure I'll remember mine."

As soon as the sage finished, the Resistance members that somehow infiltrated the castle raised their weapons and charged the shepherds.

"Say'ri…" Chrom asked as they began to engage their new enemy. "Are you sure these people are from the Resistance?"

"Aye, sir. I'm ashamed to say that I am." Say'ri replied in embarrassment. "I know some of them by name. B-but… why would they turn cloak against us now?"

"Ooh!" Excellus giggled as he put his hands together and clapped his fingers together erratically. "It seems that I've touched a nerve! I do so enjoy inappropriate touching!" he exclaimed creepily. "Now, be good little servants and scrub the stronghold of these Ylissean filth."

With that, the sage warped away just as suddenly as he arrived.

"Shepherds! Take out these new opponents!" Chrom roared. "Treat them just like the Valmese! Do not hold back against them!"

His group yelled back in affirmation.

{Robin, we've been held up by some Valmese reinforcements} Chrom informed their strategist through the Hekseer's channel.

{I know, I noticed.} he heard Robin reply. {Don't worry about us, we've gotten things handled on this end. Just focus on taking them all down. Stay safe.}

Chrom nodded, even though he knew Robin couldn't see him. He raised his Falchion and cut down another one of the former Resistance members.

**Throne room, Fort Steiger…**

The same round sage warped in front of the throne next to Pheros.

"What is this meddling, Excellus?!" the Valkyrie exclaimed.

"'Meddling'?" Excellus exclaimed in mock offense. "Why, General Pheros, one might actually mistake you for ungrateful. This 'meddling' is going to save your post, and quite possibly your life!"

"We've no need for parlor tricks here, schemer!" Pheros retorted. "I can handle this myself!"

"Of course General!" Excellus brought one hand up to his forehead in mock realization. "I can see your plan now! Oh how silly of me! You're obviously just waiting to crush the Ylisseans! Toying with them like a cat! I simply brought these rebels so they may learn from your shining example! They were so eager to join the cause too!"

"Because you threatened them?" Pheros narrowed her eyes. "Tortured them? Or perhaps their families? Their villages?"

"Pish pash!" Excellus waved his hand dismissively. "I would not wish to burden you with such mundane details, good General. I have more important matters to attend to right now, but rest assured that these rebels are QUITE motivated. Feel free to thank me some other time!"

With that, Excellus warped away from Fort Steiger.

"Odious freak…" Pheros muttered to herself. "He has no honor. Just the sight of him makes me sick… He is the worm, and yet I'm the one left squirming. True… his interference might bring us the victory, but he'll never hear me say it."

**With Robin…**

His group, alongside Frederick's, had taken out all of the Valmese soldiers blocking them from the throne room.

"Frederick!" Robin called. "You take your group and guard the entrance to the throne room. I'll lead mine against their commander. That way, if there are reinforcements, they won't be able to trap us inside the room."

"Right." Frederick nodded in agreement.

"Come with me!" Robin called to his own group as they charged inside the throne room. They went in just in time to miss Excellus as he ported away.

"Surrender, for you have lost." Robin told the Valmese General plainly.

Pheros merely laughed. "You know, I once followed your exalt. I made the pilgrimage all the way to Ylisstol, just to hear Exalt Emmeryn speak. I too, grew up worshipping Naga."

"So you abandoned your faith." Robin summarized.

"I have no use for invisible spirits any longer." Pheros retorted. "I serve a god among men now. Emperor Walhart will do what no religion could ever do: unite the people of the world."

"Emmeryn believed in the same thing!" Lucina interjected as she walked up besides Robin. "Except she believed that the way to unite everyone of the world was through peace! There's no need for violence to unite everyone!"

"I have no time to discuss these trivial matters with you." Pheros said, completely dismissing the future princess. "Now draw your sword, or be pushed aside!"

With that, Pheros unleashed a blast of energy from her Bolganone tome, directed at Robin and Lucina.

Robin simply stood there. There was no reason for him to put in the effort to dodge the magical attack. Lucina dodged backwards, but simply didn't react fast enough, which was usually never a problem for the future princess. Pheros was much stronger than the other Valkyries they had fought in order to get here, and the spell was also cast at a much faster speed.

The Bolganone spell exploded, and the blast knocked Lucina backwards. The future princess let out a cry of pain. There were large burn wounds across her hands and face, and possibly in other places that were hidden by her clothing. The sudden pain from the attack was too much, and it knocked the princess unconscious.

Robin, even after taking the brunt of the attack, didn't seem fazed at all. The symbols woven into his clock turned bright red as it absorbed the energy from the attack. However, his eyes went wide when he realized that the attack had injured Lucina.

He was about to rush over to her side, but Libra knelt down next to her first.

"Take care of the enemy first, Robin." The clergyman told him. "Don't worry about her. She's in good hands." Libra immediately began to heal the wounds on the fainted princess.

Robin nodded, and turned back to Pheros. "That was the biggest mistake of your miserable life." he told the Valkyrie coldly, his voice dripping with venom.

"Oh ho?" Pheros chuckled. "Makes you wonder what your relation to the girl is, if you get that angry at-" her humorous expression instantly faded as she saw the murderous expression on Robin's face. It was a sight that chilled her to her very core.

None of her soldiers could blame her though. Many of her personal guard began to whimper out of fear as Robin leered at them. Robin's scythe materialized out of the air as purplish red energy flickered out of his eyes, almost like two bright flames. He began to slowly walk closer to Pheros.

"D-demon!" one of Pheros's guards murmured. "It's the demon tactician!"

Pheros quickly hurled another Bolganone spell at Robin, but the necromancer simply walked right through the spell as if it were nothing.

She turned to her personal guard. "Don't just stand there!" she commanded. "Kill him!" The shepherds could hear the panic starting to set in her voice.

Many of the Valkyries under her command launched spells at Robin, only for the exact same thing to happen. Robin simply walked through them, and the patterns woven in his cloak began to glow various different colors as it absorbed spells from different elements.

A Sniper took aim at Robin, but Gaius silenced him with an arrow of his own.

A Hero charged Robin with sword raised high, but Robin didn't even acknowledge him. He simply swung his scythe around and launched a blade of dark magic at him, killing the soldier before he got within range to strike him with the sword.

Robin ignored the other Valkyries flanking Pheros. He just walked right past them, and continued to make his way to Pheros.

Pheros made one last attempt to kill Robin with a spell, but there was nothing different about the attempt this time.

Once Robin got within range, he slashed Pheros's horse with his scythe, killing the animal and causing Pheros to fall off.

Pheros hastily scrambled to her feet, and produced an elegant dagger from within her robes. She gritted her teeth.

'He seems to have a strong resistance towards magical attacks…' she thought to herself. 'I guess I have no choice…'

Pheros charged the demon tactician with her dagger.

Robin merely scoffed at her. He slashed his scythe upward, cutting Pheros from her right hip to her left shoulder. Pheros finally fell to her knees.

"I… may not live… to see Walhart unite the people of the world…" Pheros said in excruciating pain. "But… I have seen it in my dreams… and that is enough…" With that, she fell over, dead.

Once Pheros fell, Robin's eye's returned to normal. He took notice of Pheros's dagger. It was of extremely high quality, so he picked it up and placed it in an astral plane for now.

"What about you?" he asked, turning to the rest of the Valkyries in the room. "Do you want to share the same fate as your master? Or do you wish to surrender?"

The Valkyries all took a look at each other. As one, they dismounted and placed their tomes on the ground.

Robin went around and picked up their tomes before returning to where Libra was.

"How is she?" Robin asked the War Monk.

Libra had sweat dripping down his face, but he let out a smile. "That attack really wounded her, milord. But it looks like she'll recover. She just needs some time to rest."

"Good." Robin smiled and felt the unconscious princess's cheek. Just mere moments ago, there was a burn mark across it that ruined her perfect complexion, but thanks to the work of Libra, the wound has all but disappeared.

Seeing the way Robin caressed Lucina's cheek, Anna began to secretly pout.

Stahl and Gaius smirked and both had to suppress a chuckle at their tactician's affectionate gesture towards the princess, but instead let out a cry of pain as Stahl's wife and Gaius's fiance swatted their significant other across the back of their head.

{How are things over on your end?} Robin asked Chrom.

{We're… fine… over here.} Chrom told him. Robin could feel the exalt's exhaustion. {There were a lot more than expected. We fought them off, but most of us feel so tired we can't budge an inch. Flavia and Basilio are here though. They brought their soldier inside with them, because apparently there are many enemy soldier trying to surround us from the outside.}

Robin gritted his teeth. {Hold on, we'll come to you.}

"Gaius! Stahl!" Robin barked. The two immediately stood at attention. "Watch over these Valmese Valkyries." he instructed. "If any of them try anything funny…" he made a slashing gesture across his own neck with his hand, which translated to 'kill them'. The surrendered Valkyries' eyes bulged and they collectively gulped.

Robin patted Libra's shoulder. "You did well. I can tell you gave it your all to heal her. Put your mind at ease now. I'll let Lissa or Maribelle finish up on her."

Libra absentmindedly nodded.

Robin then leaned down and picked up the unconscious Lucina in a bridal carry. Gaius and Stahl knew better this time, and kept an absolute straight face as their significant others glared at them. "Everyone else, follow me. We'll go to Chrom's group now."

Frederick's eyes widened when he saw the unconscious Lucina in Robin's arms as they walked out the throne room. "Is she…" the Great Knight began in shock.

Robin shook his head. "She's just unconscious. She'll be fine, especially after Lissa or Maribelle finishes checking up on her." he nodded towards Maribelle.

"Right!" Maribelle nodded.

Frederick and Robin's group, barring Stahl and Gaius made their way to Chrom's group.

Chrom and Sumia were equally shocked to see Robin carrying Lucina over.

"Lucina!" Chrom exclaimed as he rushed over, completely forgetting just how exhausted he was from the fight.

"Calm down, Chrom." Robin told him. "She's just got knocked out. Libra already stabilized her, and Maribelle should be able to finish up what he started."

Sumia held her hands close to her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

Robin gently placed the princess on the ground. Maribelle and Sumia immediately rushed over to her side.

Robin got up and walked over to Chrom, Say'ri and the Khans.

"Steiger has fallen, but it seems our new opponent has surrounded us." Say'ri sighed.

"You mean, the former Resistance?" Chrom asked, panting.

"Aye, sir." Say'ri nodded. "I cannot express my shame… my regret. I finally succeeded in uniting them, but only against us."

"Khan Basilio!" one of the Feroxi soldiers exclaimed as he ran up to the West Khan.

"Calm yourself, soldier!" Basilio ordered. "What's wrong?"

"Dire news!" The soldier exclaimed. "Our soldiers to the North and South have been discovered and decimated by Walhart and Yen'fay! What's worse, the survivors have turned coat for the empire!"

"B-but… that's so many soldiers!" Say'ri protested.

"The empire must have had more." Robin gritted his teeth. "That is NOT good news."

"Blast!" Say'ri exclaimed. "Where is Walhart and my brother now?"

"They're steadily advancing towards this fortress." The soldier reported. "By some estimates, they'll converge in about two or three days. It's only a matter of time now."

"So much for fortune favoring the bold." Basilio sighed. "This war was lost before it even began."

"All of our struggles until now… and we've yet to make a dent in the empire…" Chrom said regretfully.

"Chrom." Robin said seriously. "We need to leave here, right now."

"Have you lost your wits?!" Flavia exclaimed. "We're surrounded!"

"When the other armies arrive, we'll be trapped for sure." Robin retorted. "If we want a chance to live, now is the best chance for us to escape, before the dynasts can set up a proper encirclement."

Say'ri nodded in agreement. "Sir Robin is right. The dynasts betray us only from fear of the empire. Without them watching over their necks, they'll only offer token resistance against us."

"But we can't keep running forever." Chrom protested. "How can we turn the tide?"

"By striking either Yen'fay or Walhart before they join strength." Robin replied.

"Either one seems like a death sentence." Chrom noted.

"One general will be upon us before we're even finished with the other." Say'ri remarked.

"I agree." Robin replied. "Which is why we must attack both."

"BOTH!?" Flavia exclaimed. "We just lost two thirds of our soldiers. Our army is in tatters, and you would divide it by half?"

Robin shook his head. "Not half. Chrom will lead our strongest forces against Yen'fay, while a smaller force will attack Walhart."

"A SMALLER force?" Basilio exclaimed. "We couldn't defeat him with double our number."

"I didn't say defeat." Robin replied. "They would only need to distract them."

"Hmm…" Basilio stroked his chin, as if thinking about it. "Spend some lives to buy the other group some time…"

"This smaller force would face the most dangerous mission yet." Chrom noted. "It would require a leader of unparalleled skill, reckless bravery, and…"

"All right, all right!" Basilio laughed. "You're embarrassing me! I'll do it already, just stop with the compliments!"

"This is no time for japes, Basilio." Robin said seriously. "The stakes could not be any higher."

"I am serious." Basilio replied. "I'll lead the squad. Although… I do prefer my steaks to be well done."

"That's just his way, Robin." Flavia shrugged. "Bad jokes comes with the bravado. But the oaf clearly has faith in your strategy… as do all of us, I'd wager. Somehow you always find a way to beat the odds."

"Then it's settled." Basilio said. "I'll make preparations and be off. The rest of you stay with Chrom and keep him safe."

Robin nodded. "Godspeed, Basilio."

**Meanwhile…**

Maribelle, with Sumia watching over and holding her daughter's hand, began to work on the injured princess immediately after Robin left to go meet with their leaders.

Fortunately, Libra was a competent healer, and aside from running out of energy, didn't do anything wrong. Maribelle was able to quickly finish the healing process.

Lucina slowly began to regain consciousness.

"Urgh…" she muttered, bringing a hand up to her face. "My head…"

"Lucina!" Sumia exclaimed, and captured her daughter in a hug.

"M-mother?" she looked around. This was nowhere near the Valmese throne room. "Where am I?"

"We're still in Fort Steiger dear." Maribelle informed her. "The leaders are just having a meeting to determine our next move."

Sumia smiled. "You should thank Robin later. He carried you over here."

"C-carried!?" Lucina squeaked, her face immediately turning pink.

"Yup. Carried." Sully confirmed as she walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You shoulda seen 'im. He lost it as soon as that Valmese General knocked you out. The Valmese soldiers must've shit their pants, his expression was so murderous."

"Really…" Lucina breathed as she looked over towards her crush. 'He really did that because of me?' she wondered to herself.

She was brought back to reality by the details of the conversation Robin was having. They were talking about sending Basilio to take on Walhart.

'Not good!' Lucina thought as she got up.

"Lucina?" Sumia wondered, but didn't stop the girl.

"Godspeed, Basilio." she heard Robin say.

"Stop!" Lucina stood in front of the departing Khan, with her arms held wide.

"Lucina?" Chrom was confused, but also relieved that she had gotten back up. "What are you…"

"I cannot allow you to go, Khan Basilio!" Lucina protested. "You will die in that battle! I know it for truth!"

"You know, lass," Basilio began. "You have a strange way of saying goodbye. All right then, who was it? Please tell me it was Walhart himself. It'd be too embarrassing if I died to some farmer's pitchfork."

"Yes, it was Walhart." Lucina replied. "Or, at least, that's what the stories say. We have to change our plans, so fate cannot take its original course!"

"All I needed to know." Basilio patted Lucina on the shoulder and walked past her. "Thank you, lass. I'll be careful."

"Y-you're still going!?" Lucina exclaimed, not believing her ears. "But I just told you-"

"Aye, I heard just fine." Basilio said. "But someone has to do it. If he's the one that kills me, I'll just avoid him in the battle. You don't grow this old and handsome without knowing how to avoid trouble."

"N-no!" Lucina protested. "It's never that simple!"

"Don't worry, love." Flavia comforted her. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"You aren't coming, woman!" Basilio roared. "You're the reigning khan!"

"I thought you intended to survive this, oaf." Flavia countered. "Regna Ferox has two khans, and now you're responsible for both of them. I DARE you to die now!"

Basilio laughed. "All right, you can come. Is that fine, Chrom?"

Chrom nodded. "Just look after one another."

"I'll bring this big brown ox home on a leash if that's what it takes!" Flavia laughed.

"Luck and more be with you all." Basilio waved at them for the last time. "We'll meet again soon."

"But please!" Lucina exclaimed. "Your future-"

"'Please' yourself!" Basilio interrupted. "Not another word! I fully intend to outlive you sprogs! And as for your 'future', it can kiss my big brown arse!"

With that, Basilio and Flavia left to go pick out a group of soldiers.

Lucina fidgeted around uncomfortably.

"C'mon, we have to make arrangements to march south." Chrom told Say'ri and Robin.

"Right." Robin agreed. "We have to leave immediately. Cordelia!"

The Falcon Knight ran up and saluted. "Yes?"

"Go fetch Stahl and Gaius. They can leave the prisoners in the room, we're not taking them with us. We have to leave, right NOW."

"Yes sir!" Cordelia exclaimed as she ran off to get the pair.

**Throne room, Fort Steiger…**

"Hey." Gaius nudged Stahl. "Did you see Robin just now?"

Stahl chuckled. "Yes, of course. I even got hit because of it."

"It's pretty suspicious, wouldn't you say?" Gaius asked.

"Who would've thought that those two would…" Stahl began.

"Woah, woah!" Gaius waved his hand in front of the Viridian Rider's eyes. "Remember, that's just speculation! We don't know for sure if he has feeling for her yet."

Stahl sighed. "Yes, I suppose your right. For all we know, he gets that mad if any of the shepherds get hit by an attack like that."

One of the Valkyries scoffed. "So I guess the demon tactician actually has feelings? Who would've known?"

"Quiet!" Gaius barked, and a dagger seemed to teleport to his hand. "One more word and I'll count it as 'funny business'."

"Eep!" the Valkyrie squeaked, but otherwise kept her mouth shut for the remainder of the time.

"Although…" Stahl began. "I guess he HAS built up quite a reputation among the Valmese troops. I'm just glad we're on his side, otherwise we might end up referring to him in the exact same way."

"Next time we have the time…" Gaius began. "You and me. We find a way to get a couple of beers into him, and we make 'em spill the beans."

Stahl smirked. "Sounds like a plan."

Just then, Cordelia walked into the throne room. "We're marching now. Robin asked me to come get you."

"Oh? Where to?" Gaius asked his fiance.

"Idiot!" Cordelia exclaimed as she hit Gaius on the head softly. "There are others in the room right now, you know!"

"S-sorry." Gaius said sheepishly. "I was under the impression that we're either taking them along with us or… getting rid of them entirely."

A couple of their prisoners paled at the implication.

Cordelia smiled and turned to the captured Valkyries. "Consider yourselves fortunate. Robin has decided to spare your lives." she then turned and ushered Gaius and Stahl out of the throne room.

The Valkyries were left in silence in the throne room.


	27. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Notes: **

**To be completely honest, I didn't think this chapter would end up being a filler chapter. However, I began to realize just how long of a chapter it was becoming as I was writing it, and I decided that there was enough for it to become a chapter even without including any progression of the plot. Somehow, this ended up being the longest chapter I've written thus far. If nothing else, I guess the people who are more into fluffy chapters will be somewhat satisfied. **

**Anyways, here is chapter 27:**

**Just outside of Fort Steiger…**

"C'mon, make sure you're following the person in front of you closely!" Chrom commanded as the shepherds and their soldiers ran through the night. Just as they expected, the ex Resistance members didn't try too hard stop them from leaving. They've opted to run towards the southwest, which was further and further away from where they had first landed.

They ran in the dark for several minutes. When it became clear that they had shook off the few ex Resistance members that were pretending to chase after them, Chrom gave the signal for them to stop.

"Let's take a short rest." Chrom said. "However, we're still not far away from Fort Steiger for us to be safe."

Robin nodded in agreement. "We're going to have to keep marching in the dark for a little longer. Then we can try to find a decent place to sleep."

After resting for a couple of minutes, Chrom got up. "All right, that's enough. The sooner we get far away from here, the sooner we'll be able to set up camp and truly rest." He lead the shepherds and began to march again.

Robin stood still and began to take a head count as the shepherds got up one by one to follow after Chrom. He took notice of Lucina, who seemed to be walking very slowly and panting hard.

Robin made his way over to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"N...nothing." Lucina panted.

"You could've fooled me." Robin frowned. "If something is bothering you, you need to tell someone. Maybe it's a small problem right now, but it could become a much larger one if you keep it to yourself."

"W-well… to be honest… my head really hurts." Lucina finally admitted. "I feel kind of light headed and a little dizzy. And… I also almost feel like vomiting."

"That sounds like it could be a concussion." Robin said, offering Lucina his shoulder. "We'll let Lissa take a look at it once we set up camp. But for now, take it slowly. Walk at your own pace. I'll be here."

Lucina wrapped her left arm around his back and held onto the tactician's left shoulder while simultaneously leaning on his right. "T-thanks." she murmured.

They began to follow after the rest of the shepherds slowly. They were eventually passed by some of their soldiers that were following behind them. At first, Lucina was able to make out the figures ahead of them, but as they kept walking, the people in front of them began to go out of sight.

Lucina began to panic slightly. If they got lost in the middle of the night, it would be very difficult to meet back up with the rest of them. In response, she began to force herself to walk faster.

Robin noticed this immediately. "Don't worry." he reassured her. "Take it at your own pace. I'm keeping track of where they are. All you need to do is put one foot in front of the other. Leave the rest up to me."

Lucina sighed in relief and slowed back down.

The two of them walked together for about an hour. If it weren't for Lucina's injuries to her head, she would've probably really enjoyed it. But then again, if it weren't for her injury, Robin probably wouldn't give her the attention.

A hopeful feeling began to well up in her chest as they walked through one of their soldiers' camps.

"The shepherds' camp must be just a little further ahead." Robin told her, reaching the same conclusion. "Just hold on a little longer."

Eventually, they reached their destination. Cordelia ran up to meet them.

"Robin! Lucina!" the Falcon Knight exclaimed. "When you didn't show up, everyone began to worry."

"Lucina has a concussion." Robin explained. "She can't move very fast, so I stayed with her."

"Should I go fetch Lissa?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes, please." Robin replied.

Cordelia immediately ran off towards one of the campfires. Robin and Lucina began to head in the same direction, albeit at a much slower pace.

Moments later, Lissa came running towards them with a staff in hand.

"Lucina!" she exclaimed. Lissa walked to the injured princess's other side and offered her own shoulder to her. "Let's go to your tent. I'll take a look at you there."

Lucina nodded in gratefulness, and allowed them to lead her towards one of the tents.

Once they were inside, they saw four bedrolls on the ground instead of the usual one or two.

"It's to conserve our energy." Lissa explained. "It's much more difficult to set up tents in the middle of the night, so we're putting four people in a single one. Aside from Lady Tiki, we put two couples inside each tent. This one is set up for the four bachelorettes."

"Bachelorettes?" Lucina asked.

"Yeah! The female shepherds that aren't married." Lissa explained. "You, Olivia, Anna, and… and Say'ri!" she counted on her fingers.

"So I'm assuming I'm with Kellam, Ricken and Henry then?" Robin asked.

"Yup!" Lissa confirmed. "I can show you to your tent later. But first, I need to take a look at Lucina's concussion."

Robin helped Lucina lay down one of the bedrolls. Lissa immediately began to work on her head injuries. Robin chuckled as Lucina let out pleasant sighs as her symptoms gradually began to fade from Lissa's work.

"Well, I guess I'm not needed here anymore." Robin said as he got up. "I'll go find someone who can tell me where my tent is. I trust she's in good hands now."

Once back outside, he headed towards one of the campfires.

"Hey, look who's finally here!" Vaike exclaimed as Robin joined their circle. "We were getting worried you got lost or somethin'!"

"No, Lucina was just struggling to keep up with everyone else." Robin explained. "It seems she suffered from a concussion in that last battle. I stayed with her to ensure she got here safely."

"What a gentlemanly thing to do." Virion gave his approval.

Gaius and Stahl looked at each other and smirked.

"Anyways," Robin continued. "I was wondering if someone could show me where my tent is. It's rather late, and I think I'd like to call it a night. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for sure."

"Sure!" Henry chirped. "I'll take you there. I was thinking of getting ready to sleep as well."

Robin nodded, and the two of them headed towards one of the tents.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina was lying down on her bedroll. Her aunt Lissa had just finished working her healing magic, and Lucina could already feel much better. However, Lissa also advised her to sleep early, and get some good rest. She assured Lucina that the wounds would fully recover within a day or two, but only if she didn't do anything extremely strenuous.

After maybe fifteen minutes, she could hear the giggling and the chatter of some girls as they approached her tent. Moments later, the flap was lifted, and Anna, Olivia and Say'ri entered the tent.

"Ah! Lady Lucina!" Say'ri exclaimed when they realized she was already inside the tent. "Prithee! We didn't wake you, did we?"

"No. I hadn't fallen asleep yet." Lucina replied.

"Lissa told us what happened." Olivia told her. "You're fine now, right?"

Lucina nodded slightly. "Yeah. She just said I have to get a good night's rest."

"That's a good idea." Olivia said, letting out a sigh of relief. "We all should do that too."

The three newcomers all picked one of the other bedrolls in the other three corners of the tent. The four of them all covered themselves up with blankets and were about to fall asleep.

Suddenly, the four of them heard the sound of rustling outside their tent, as if someone or something was running towards them.

"Hey, are you all asleep yet?" the voice of Nowi exclaimed from just outside their tent entrance.

"What do you want?" Anna asked suspiciously.

"Oh come on!" Nowi stuck her head into the tent flap. "I thought we were friends, Anna!"

Anna sat up and made a face at the Manakete. "We are, but I also know that if you're here this late at night, you're definitely up to something no good."

Nowi smiled sweetly. "I've just come up with a FANTASTIC idea! It's something that would benefit everyone in this tent! And I've run all the way over from my own in order to pitch it to you."

"Oh?" Say'ri asked curiously. "And what might this 'idea' of yours be?"

"It's easy." Nowi grinned mischievously. "We simply make Olivia trade places with Robin. We send her over to the boy's tent, and bring Robin over to this one."

The four occupants of the tent were glad there was nothing but a small lantern in the tent with them. Otherwise, Nowi would have seen three perfect imitations of tomatoes. The only one that wasn't quite so fazed was Say'ri, and even she couldn't help but begin to blush slightly at the thought of Nowi's proposal.

"Well?" Nowi asked innocently. "What do you think? Olivia would get to spend some time with her dear Henry, while the rest of you get to share a tent with Robin." She winked at them. "Not too bad, right?"

"Wait just one moment." Say'ri objected. "Why are you including me as well?"

Nowi stuck her tongue out at the woman from Chon'sin. "Don't play dumb, silly! I noticed the way you gaze at him. You're eyes have been full with desire ever since after we came down from the Mila Tree! These types of things cannot escape the observational skills of the great Nowi! I know all three of you have been secretly pining after him for a while now!"

At this, Say'ri became the fourth person with bright red cheeks within the tent. 'I didn't think anyone noticed…' Say'ri thought to herself. 'I thought I was discreet about it…'

"Well?" Nowi continued. "What do you all say? Should I pitch the idea to the boys?"

"No!" all four of them exclaimed at once.

"Aw, phooey!" Nowi fake pouted. "I was sure you all would be so enthusiastic about it too! Are you sure? I could volunteer to ask them for you."

"Just, go away!" Anna exclaimed. "Leave us alone! We're fine as is!"

Nowi sighed in mock disappointment. "All right then, I guess it's a no go." She replaced the flap on the tent and ran back towards her own to rejoin Gregor, as well as Gaius and Cordelia.

There was a long moment of awkward silence from within the tent after Nowi left.

Surprisingly, it was Olivia that broke the silence. "So, you all really like Robin that much?" she asked.

The other three members of the tent could feel their cheeks begin to heat up once again.

"Shut up!" Anna exclaimed. "You're the last one we want to hear from. At least we're not the ones offering Robin 'lessons' in order to spend more time with him."

At this, Olivia began to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Lucina asked. "Would you be willing to share?"

"Oh, it's just…" Olivia wiped a tear away from her eye. "When I was back in Regna Ferox, I don't think I'd ever be comfortable messing around or joking with the others. But since after I joined the shepherds, it feels like I'm a part of one big happy family. And it's only with you guys that I'm able to laugh and joke like that."

Anna smiled. "You know, I completely understand. This is so much more enjoyable than doing business by myself."

Lucina nodded as well. "Yeah…"

There was another period of silence.

"So…" Anna began, as she looked up at the top of the tent. "Since Nowi opened THAT can of worms… how about we reach an agreement?"

"A...greement?" Say'ri asked.

"Yeah." Anna replied. "Since we all seem to like Robin, we should promise to respect whoever he chooses. In other words, don't try to get revenge if you're not the one picked by him."

Lucina wanted to protest, but realized that it would only make her look unreasonable. "All right, fine." she sighed. "It makes sense, I guess."

Say'ri nodded. "I know that he might not know me as well as the two of you, and that my chances were slim to begin with. I won't hold it against anyone if things do not go the way I want."

"Perfect." Anna smiled. "We've reached an agreement then."

'Jackpot!' Anna thought to herself. 'Say'ri is right. Robin DOES know me a lot better than her. And as for Lucina, she's Chrom's daughter, so Robin probably won't even consider her.' she mentally patted herself on the back. 'Things are looking up!'

There was no more serious conversation for the rest of the night, and the four girls fell asleep, one by one.

**With Robin…**

Henry showed Robin where their assigned tent was. Ricken and Kellam were not back yet, and were probably still at the campfire.

The two of them picked out one of the corners to sleep in.

"Hey Robin…" Henry began once they had settled in. "I'm thinking of proposing to a girl."

"Oh?" Robin replied, clearly interested. "It wouldn't happen to be Olivia, right?"

Henry seemed embarrassed, which was significantly different than his usual cheerful personality. "Yeah. How'd you find out?"

Robin chuckled. "There was a rumor going around that you two were into each other."

"Really?" Robin swore Henry's voice shot up a couple pitches as he asked that. "Wait… into each other?"

Robin nodded. "I guess since one part of the rumor is true, then there's a good chance the other part is too."

"That's some good news for me then." Henry smiled.

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Robin agreed.

"Well?" Henry asked. "What do you think? Would you approve?"

Robin snorted. "Since when did you ever need MY approval to do anything?"

"Well," Henry fidgeted around from under his blankets. "For one, although I was akin to your servant back in Plegia, you've always treated me like a little brother. Like Tharja, my parents abandoned me as well. But you took me under your wing, and so I was happy to serve you. According to Plegian tradition, since you're basically my older brother, you have the right to shoot down my proposal before I even ask the girl."

"Really?" Robin asked quizzically. "I don't ever remember reading about that."

Henry let out a sigh. "It's a fairly old tradition. In modern day, not many people even follow it. And besides, it doesn't apply to all that many people either. But… I figured I may as well ask you, since you've known Olivia for far longer than I have. It'd make me feel better if you approved, because that would mean you think she's a good woman."

"So THAT'S what this is about." Robin smiled. "In that case, I say that you should go for it. Olivia might be extremely shy, but she's actually a really compassionate girl. She has a gentle heart, and honestly, she deserves better than to be in the middle of this war."

Henry smiled. "It feels really good to hear you say that." He stretched his arms a little. "Nya ha! That settles it then! I'll find a time to ask her tomorrow!"

"THAT'S the Henry I know." Robin chuckled. "It made me worry when you started being all serious." Robin sat up and looked at Henry. "So Tharja told me that for my sake, she wasn't going to tell me about my past. Is that something you agree with?"

Henry sat up as well. "Here's the thing… at first, I saw nothing wrong with telling you of your past. Afterall, it may even put your mind at ease." Robin nodded in agreement. "But, after talking with Tharja, she's somewhat convinced me. You clearly seem happy with your current life, and as for Tharja and myself, we're quite content here too. Sure, if we told you everything, there's a chance that nothing bad will come out of it. But there's always a chance… a chance for everything to fall apart. A chance that you'll end up hating yourself because of your past. Although I personally don't mind taking that risk, Tharja is convinced that it really isn't a good idea. That's why I'm going along with her as well."

Robin grimaced. "Was my past really that nefarious?"

"I don't know about that. We simply just lived with two different methodologies on life." Henry shrugged. "If it helps at all, you can think of your life with the shepherds as a new beginning. Instead of losing your memories, think of it as getting another chance at life. A clean slate."

"That… I suppose it's a fine way to look at it." Robin nodded numbly.

"Although…." Henry continued. "If you were to order me to divulge everything of your past, I'd be duty bound to do it. If it really is bothering you that much, I tell you everything. It's not really something I'd recommend, but I also don't really have the right to refuse you."

"No, no." Robin shook his head. "We're not in Plegia anymore. I don't have the authority to force you to tell me something like that anymore. And besides… if both of you strongly suggest that it's something that should be kept away from me, then I guess I'll just have to trust you."

Robin rubbed his face with his hands. "It's a bit frustrating not knowing, but I suppose there could be some good to it. I can choose to live this current life I have in any way I want, without any guilt of my past."

"Yeah." Henry agreed.

At this moment, their tent flap was opened, and Henry and Ricken walked in.

"Oh?" Kellam asked in surprise. "The two of you aren't asleep yet?"

"No," Robin admitted. "We were having a bit of a conversation."

"It wasn't about girls, was it?" Ricken asked.

"Nope." Robin grinned. "Definitely not."

Ricken snapped his fingers. "Darn! It seems I missed out on something important."

Robin chuckled. "It's late. We need to get to sleep."

The other three nodded. They were tired after the long day after all. Slowly, the four of them descended into the world of dreams.

**Realm of dreams…**

Robin could feel himself enter another vision. He was rather used to it by now, and decided to just go along with it.

He could see himself walking alongside the rest of the shepherds. What was interesting was that the ground they were walking upon seemed to be charred. There were patches of ground covered by a substance that glowed orange yellow. Just by looking at it, Robin could tell that the substance must have been extremely hot.

Across from them, many soldiers appeared. They seemed to be wearing the same type of armor that he saw Say'ri wearing.

'These soldiers must be from Chon'sin.' Robin concluded.

The battle soon began. Since Robin was floating in the air, he was able to observe the battle from a bird's eye view. He recognized the patterns and strategies deployed by the Robin in his dream as some of his own.

Just like how he commands the shepherds, tasks were distributed based on who was best fit for them. The shepherds slowly began to beat back the enemy troops.

Suddenly, Robin noticed something that caught his eye. A familiar looking redhead was darting around, slashing at the enemy soldiers with a killing edge.

'Anna?' Robin thought to himself. 'Didn't Lucina say that she wasn't a part of the shepherds in the future?'

He continued to watch, and his eyes bulged as he saw an enemy Griffon Rider blindside her. 'Watch out!' he wanted to shout, but of course, he couldn't because in the dream, he was just an observer.

Anna noticed the enemy too late, and slipped when she frantically tried to dodge out of the way. She ended up falling chest deep into the glowing substance.

Immediately after touching the substance, Anna let out a sharp cry of pain. Robin's heart began to beat faster from worry. He saw Cordelia immediately dive down on her pegasus and lift Anna from out of the substance. The Falcon Knight pulled the very injured Anna over to Lissa and Robin, who were towards the back of their formation.

"Anna!?" Robin exclaimed. "Anna!" he put down his Levin sword and tome and knelt down by her side. "Lissa! Hurry!"

Lissa immediately ran over and began to channel her healing magic. However, it didn't seem to have any effect on the severely burned mid and lower section of Anna's body. "It's no use!" Lissa exclaimed in panic. "It's not working!"

"R...robin…" Anna croaked as she reached out her hand towards the tactician.

"Yes?" Robin asked as he took the girl's hand in his own. Tears were beginning to fall down his face.

"T-thank you…" Anna managed to get out. "Thank you for everything."

"Please!" Robin sobbed. "You can't go! Hang on! We'll find a way to heal you!"

"N-no…" Anna weakly shook her head. "It's too late for that now. R-robin… I… I... lov…" her eyes went wide as her voice gave out. She struggled to speak for a few more seconds, but found that she couldn't.

Panic began to set in the eyes of Anna the merchant. She finally gave up trying after a couple more attempts. Anna let out one final, regretful sigh as she closed her eyes and passed on into the afterlife.

The Robin from the dreams knelt over her body and began to cry even harder.

Everything in the dream paused once again, as the Consciousness of Grima approached him.

"What… was that?" Robin asked it, already used to the process.

"It was another memory of the future you." Grima replied. "As your mind grows stronger and stronger, you'll continue to see more of these in your dreams."

"So you mean that was something that actually happened in the other timeline?" Robin asked.

"Yes." Grima confirmed.

"Why are you showing that to me then?" Robin asked suspiciously.

Grima chuckled. "I'm not showing you anything. I'm just the conscious part of Grima, and like you, a bystander in this situation. In fact, I don't think the other two parts of me had anything to do with this particular vision at all. It's something that your own brain is revealing to you. It seems that your own memories are beginning to combine with Robin's from the other timeline."

"And what is my brain trying to tell me then?" Robin asked.

Grima let out another chuckle. "I really hope this war hasn't dulled your sharp mind. You've been given a vision of your past. Use what you've learned to make things play out in your own timeline as you see fit."

"I… understand." Robin slowly said.

"That's more like it. I knew there were still signs of intelligent life somewhere inside of you." Grima approached Robin. "That's all I have to say to you tonight. I'll be seeing more of you in the near future…"

With that, several tendrils of dark energy reached towards Robin from the shadowy figure, causing Robin to jolt awake.

**The next morning…**

Robin woke up to find that the others were in the middle of packing everything up.

"Did I really oversleep?" Robin muttered to himself.

"No, not really." Ricken responded as he let out a yawn. "Frederick came around and woke us all up just a few minutes ago. The only one that he said was allowed to sleep in a few more minutes was you. He said something about how yesterday must have been extremely draining for you."

"That's not fair now, is it?" Robin asked dubiously.

"It can't be helped." Henry shrugged. "We ARE deep in enemy territory after all. We can't afford to all sleep in at a time like this. However, if there is someone that should be well rested, it should be the commander."

"If a soldier is not well rested, they can't fight well regardless of how awake their commanding officer is." Robin chuckled as he got up and began to roll up his bedroll. "But I can understand where you're trying to come from."

Soon, the four of them took their rolled up beds outside, and placed them in the appropriate cart.

Many of the other shepherds were already sitting near a makeshift campfire. Vaike was squatting down next to it, watching over a pot of food as it cooked. Robin hurried over to go join them.

"Good morning, Robin!" Anna was the first one to greet him, and she gave him a wave and a smile.

"G-good morning, Robin." Lucina nervously parroted.

Robin smiled and greeted them back. For some reason, there seemed to be a little bit of tension in the air as he sat down next to Cordelia and Donnel.

"Hey! Robin's awake!" Vaike grinned as he reached for a bowl. The Berserker quickly filled it up with some of the oatmeal that was in the pot, and walked it over to him. He then repeated the same gesture for Henry, Ricken and Kellam.

"Chrom wanted to talk to you." Cordelia told Robin as the tactician began to wolf down his food. She giggled at how fast Robin was making the food disappear. "There's no rush, but he wants to discuss our plans for the day as soon as you finish your breakfast."

Robin absentmindedly nodded as he continued to finish his food. Once he was done, he immediately began to head towards the command tent.

Chrom was busy looking at a map of Valm when he walked in.

"Ah, there you are!" The Exalt exclaimed as he looked up. "Come, look at this with me."

Robin made his way over and began to inspect the map with Chrom.

"So, if we were to march straight towards Yen'fay's army, we'd be able to meet them tonight at around this location." Chrom pointed on the map. "That's thanks to the scouting work done by Cordelia."

"Tonight?" Robin cupped his chin with one hand. "That might be a little too early."

"What do you mean?" Chrom asked. "We could use all the time we can get."

"By actively marching towards Yen'fay and away from Walhart, we're already delaying when Walhart would meet up with us." Robin clarified. "With Basilio running interference, it would definitely take them several days to meet up with each other. However, because we had to run from Fort Steiger last night, our troops are still exhausted and did not have a very good night's sleep. That's why, I propose we march towards this general location." Robin pointed at a point on the map closer to their current location. "It's somewhat close to a nearby village. We could set up camp there, have dinner, and get a good night's rest. That way, we can march to meet Yen'fay's troops the next day, while our troops are well rested. The mental state of our soldiers is a factor that is still important to consider."

"Hmm…" Chrom brought an index finger to his lip. "What you're saying does make sense. We're already outnumbered as is. There's no reason for us to take a fight when everyone is still exhausted. That's just a disaster waiting to happen."

"So? Does that sound like a plan then?" Robin asked.

"I think so." Chrom nodded. "I'll run it by Frederick and Say'ri to see what they think, but it's a decision that I think I can get behind."

"So, would it be all right if I informed everyone to get ready to march?" Robin asked.

Chrom nodded. "Good idea. It's something we have to do regardless of what choice we make."

"All right, I'll tell the others then." Robin began to walk out of the command tent.

"Wait, Robin!" Robin turned around as Chrom called out to him.

"Whatever happens, even if we both don't make it past this war…" Chrom began. "I'm glad I was able to meet someone like you."

Robin returned a smile. "Likewise."

**An hour or so later…**

The shepherds, at this point, had all had breakfast and finished tearing down camp. Because they didn't set up too many tents in the first place, naturally there would be less for them to do when they packed up.

Robin was busy helping pack up the final tent onto the carts. He was just about finished tying the knot that would secure the tent to the cart.

"So, Robin…" Sully asked as she approached him. "Are we gonna fight some more Valmese today?"

"Always so bloodthirsty…" Robin chuckled as he shook his head. "But no, it seems Chrom agreed to my plan. We're just marching a short distance near one of the nearby villages in order to rest up so we can take on the Valmese tomorrow."

"Wait…" Sully frowned. "That sounds like we'll actually have to have a cook tonight then…" she thought for a moment. "Let's see… Vaike made breakfast today… which means... FUCK!"

Robin chuckled as he reached the exact same conclusion. "Yeah, I guess that would make you the cook for tonight then."

"Ugh…" Sully complained. "This day just got so much worse…"

"If you want, I'll cook for you instead." Robin offered casually.

"Oh yeah?" Sully smirked, not wanting to believe it. "And what do you want in return?"

"Nothing." Robin said truthfully. "Tomorrow's battle could be a turning point in the war. I think being able to cook the dinner right before such a historical battle would be quite the privilege."

'And... I would prefer if everyone had a good meal, instead of whatever Sully usually makes that can be barely passable as food.' Robin mentally told himself, but knew better than to say it to Sully's face.

"Hmm…" Sully seemed to think for a moment. "So I guess it would be beneficial to both of us then? I guess that's fine." she smiled at Robin and patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks then. I'll leave tonight's cooking up to you."

Robin nodded. "Don't worry about it. I've got it covered."

"Sully!" Robin and Sully both turned to see Stahl run over to them. "Oh, Robin, you're here too. Anyways, Chrom says we're going to start marching soon."

Robin nodded. "All right. Let's go then."

The three of went to join the others. Chrom was briefing everyone of their objectives for the day.

Shortly after, the shepherds began their march. It didn't take very long, because their destination was not too far away. After around three to four hours, Chrom decided to stop so that they could set up camp.

Once everything was set up, the shepherds and soldiers were dismissed to rest for the day.

Robin spent some of the time alone in his tent, reading. Once it became a little later in the afternoon, he got up in order to go to the nearby town to buy food for dinner.

He went to go get the gold allotted for dinner, as well as a horse and a cart.

As he was just about to leave the shepherd's camp, he was stopped by Olivia as she ran up to him.

"Wait!" The pinkette called to him. "Please, wait for me Robin!"

"Olivia?" Robin asked. "Did you need something?"

When she reached him, Olivia stopped to catch her breath. "Sully told me... you're the one cooking tonight, right?"

"Yeah…" Robin slowly replied.

"Then please take me with you!" Olivia begged. "I want to observe you, so that I can cook for the shepherds as well as you can!"

Robin scratched his head. "Well, I don't see how that would be a problem." he smiled at her. "Sure, why not?"

Robin turned and began to head for town. Olivia happily followed along, humming and skipping as she tailed Robin.

"Hey Olivia?" Robin asked after a couple minutes.

"Eep!" Olivia squeaked in surprise. "Ah… um… yes?"

"You seem awfully happy today," Robin observed. "Did something happen?"

"Oh… umm… well…" Olivia stammered as her face began to heat up. "Henry… asked me if I would marry him earlier today…"

"Oh?" Robin said, pretending to be surprised. "And that makes you happy?"

"Mmhmm…" Olivia nodded. "And now, you're being really nice by letting me learn from you, so that makes this day even better!"

"Well that's good to hear." Robin said wholeheartedly.

They walked for a few more minutes before Robin spoke again.

"So, I noticed at Fort Steiger, that you seem to have admired Gaius when he snuck up to those two guards and killed them." Robin told his companion.

"Y-yeah…" Olivia mumbled, clearly embarrassed that someone had noticed. "It's just… well… he did it so elegantly. His movements looked like they could've belonged in a dance routine. And… I just wished I could be as useful as someone like him."

"Oh, don't be like that!" Robin exclaimed. "I've noticed how hard you've been working on your swordplay. Lon'qu says you're almost his equal."

"Well, Lon'qu is exaggerating a little too much." Olivia said, her face still red. "I'm nowhere near as good as him. I'd be lucky if I were half as valuable to the shepherds with my skills."

"So is this what this is about?" Robin asked.

"Huh?" Olivia asked, not seeming to understand.

"You feel like you're not useful, so you're trying to learn new skills that might make you worth more? Like cooking?" Robin clarified.

"I...I guess…" Olivia stammered nervously. "I just… it's just that you all have been so nice to me, and I don't wish to be a burden…"

"You're definitely not a burden." Robin laughed. "But if you really want to be more useful at fighting, I suggest you find your own unique style."

"My… unique style?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah." Robin nodded. "Right now, you're fighting with Lon'qu's style, right? It will be difficult for you to ever surpass him if you only fight that way. After all, it's the style that Lon'qu has developed himself. You mentioned that Gaius's movements were like dancing right? What if you were able to adapt your own fighting style in a similar way? That way, you could incorporate your experiences as a dancer onto the battlefield."

"W-what do you mean?" Olivia asked.

"Well, you already know how to fight with a sword, and you used to be able to fight with a dagger, so what if you blended the two styles?" Robin suggested. "You could take a page out of Lon'qu's book, a page from Gaius's, and if you ask Virion really nicely, I'm sure he'll give you a tutorial on how to shoot a bow."

"So… you're suggesting that I become an assassin like Gaius?" Olivia asked.

"Well, sort of." Robin admitted. "I have to admit, I think that role would fit you quite well. And you'll also fit a special niche, because Gaius doesn't really fight with swords. And if you refine your own style of fighting, then there's no one that could replace your contribution to the shepherds!"

"Wow…" Olivia murmured excitedly. "I've never thought about it like that! I think that's what I'll do! I'll work on finding my own style of fighting with both swords and daggers! I'll ask Virion to teach me how to shoot a bow as soon as we have the time, too!"

"You gave me your dagger when you decided to change to sword fighting." Robin continued. "I'll be happy to give it to you back. You'll probably need it."

"N-no!" Olivia protested. "I gave that dagger to you as a gift… and besides… you're making good use of it too! I'll find another one somewhere else! Worst case scenario, I'll just ask Anna to find one for me, and I'll buy it from her!"

"Well, if you're not going to take your dagger back…" Robin reached out a produced another dagger from the air. It was an elegant weapon, with a crimson red handle. The figure of a blood red wolf with its mouth open connected the blade to the handle. A long, sharp blade protruded from the wolf's mouth, and had to be around ten to twelve inches long. "Why don't you take this one instead?"

"I-is… is that…" Olivia began.

Robin nodded. "It was that Valmese General's dagger. I took it because it's of really high quality. I'm thinking it would be more useful in your hands than mine."

Robin handed the dagger over to Olivia. "R-really? You're giving this to me!?" she squeaked.

"Yup." Robin nodded. "You gifted me a dagger once, and now I get to gift you one back."

Olivia immediately strapped the dagger and sheath onto her side. "Thanks Robin!" she gave him a genuine smile. "Today just got even better!"

Soon, the two of them reached the town. Robin had made sure to leave his cloak back at camp so that the citizens wouldn't recognize him. It was probably unnecessary, but he felt that bringing it along was a risk he didn't have to take.

The two of them walked through the market for a bit. Olivia wasn't sure exactly what the plan was, as everyone had different ways of going about the task. She just quietly followed Robin as closely as possible.

'The market structure is different than Ylisstol's…' Robin thought to himself. 'There's no separate vendor for spices and seasonings. I guess it can't be helped.'

His thoughts were interrupted by a nearby vendor.

"Plump chickens! Fresh vegetables! Low prices!" a older man shouted.

"Hmm… that sounds pretty good…" Robin murmured.

"Yeah." Olivia giggled. "I bet you'd be able to make something really good with those ingredients."

Robin nodded. "The meat here has been pretty expensive. Let's go see what this guy means by 'low prices'."

Olivia nodded, and Robin began to direct his horse towards the vendor.

"Welcome, welcome!" The old man greeted them. "What can I get for you?"

Robin scanned his wares for a minute.

"Yes, I would like…" Robin began. He listed out the ingredients, herbs and spices that he needed, and the old man began to weigh the produce immediately.

After the man got everything ready, he calculated Robin's tab.

"That'll be 1,245 gold, sir." he eventually stated.

Robin's eye slightly twitched. "With all due respect, that's quite expensive, sir. Would you be willing to lower the prices at all?"

The old man sighed. "Yes, I understand it's quite expensive, but times have been tough. Ever since emperor Walhart began his conquest, most of the young men of the villages have been drafted into his army. That's where all three of my sons are right now. They're fighting for the good of the empire, but that means there's no one left to help me tend to the crops."

He eventually shrugged. "Believe it or not, I'm trying to make my prices as low as possible. The other vendors here… they're younger, and still looking to profit off of people's misfortunes. But not me. I'm just trying to help other people out, while still trying to make a living for myself."

"I… see." Robin finally said.

"But… seeing as you brought your lady friend here today…" the vendor continued. "I'll cut you a special deal. I'll bring your tab down to 1,200 gold instead."

Robin turned his head to see Olivia blushing bright red. He began to laugh, partly due to Olivia's reaction, and partly due to how little of a bargain he'd been given.

After thinking about it for a moment, Robin nodded. "All right then, 1,200 gold it is." He began to fish the money out of his pockets.

"B-but Robin!" Olivia's eyes went wide. "That's still so much! If you leave out some of these…" she gestured to the spices. "Then we might be able to afford it."

Robin eye twitched as he shook his head. "No, we have to buy everything."

"B-but…" Olivia protested.

"Don't worry." Robin leaned down next to Olivia's ear. "It's not that big of a deal. The extra money will just come out of my own pocket." he whispered. "Please, don't make a big scene about it."

"O-ok…" Olivia finally nodded. "I'll listen to you."

The vendor gave them a look that said 'D'aww, they look perfect together'.

Robin handed the merchant the money, and placed everything onto his cart.

"You look pretty new to this area." The merchant noted.

Robin nodded. "Yes, we're just passing through."

"Well, here's some friendly advice from this old geezer." The man continued. "Keep a close eye on your surroundings, and a close eye on your girl. There are bandits who would try to snatch anything and everything from you if you're caught off guard."

Robin snorted. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

Robin began to lead the horse back towards the direction of their camp. Olivia gave the merchant one last nod of appreciation, and followed after him.

"So… do you always spend that much on food?" Olivia asked him as they reached the roads.

"Well, usually not THAT much." Robin admitted. "It's hard to haggle with someone like that. Especially when what he's saying makes so much sense."

"But… you always buy the extra spices and stuff, right?" Olivia pressed.

Robin held an index finger up to his lips. "That'll be our secret, all right?"

"B-but… I won't be able to replicate something like that! I don't have extra money just sitting around." Olivia whined.

"Yeah, it's not something I would recommend someone doing on just soldier's pay." Robin agreed. "I'll admit, I get a little more because of my position, but in reality, it's not much more. However, I usually don't spend very much money to begin with, so it's just sitting there otherwise."

"Wow…" Olivia murmured. "I never realized how compassionate and how much you cared for the rest of the shepherds. To be spending your own money for the benefit of the rest of us..."

"It's kind of my job isn't it?" Robin chuckled. "I make sure we win and that everyone has the best chance of surviving on the battlefield, and so it's not much different to look after everyone else off the battlefield too, right?"

Olivia nodded. "That makes sense… I guess…"

The pair walked in silence for a few more minutes.

"That merchant…" Olivia pouted. "He just assumed that we're a pair."

Robin laughed. "But it makes sense. If you look at the two of us, it doesn't seem possible for us to be related after all. And if I corrected him, it might rouse the suspicion of some of the townsfolk."

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Olivia murmured.

"I'm just glad Henry wasn't here." Robin chuckled. "He might get the wrong idea. I wouldn't want to get blasted by dark magic in the back."

"Oh, you're too modest!" It was Olivia's turn to laugh. "Everyone knows that you couldn't be harmed by a little bit of magic."

Robin smiled. "That may be, but a large part of that comes from my cloak. Something I've elected to not wear today."

"Well…" Olivia continued. "Henry would probably respect you too much to do something like that to you. He told me about his past, about his childhood. I felt sorry for him, because I think that no child should suffer through what his parents did to him. But he told me about how you basically saved him from his previous life. And for that, he feels like he owes you so much."

"So… Henry told you about my past life?" Robin asked.

"N-no." Olivia admitted. "He just mentioned bits and pieces. If you're asking me to reveal something about your past, I don't think I'd be able to do it. … Sorry."

"No, it's quite all right." Robin replied.

Suddenly, Robin stopped the cart, causing Olivia to bump into him in surprise.

"Who's there?" Robin demanded.

"Well, well. You must be new here. Don't you know it's not safe to walk these roads by yourself? Now quietly hand over everything you own, and we'll be on our way." A voice replied as five figures walked out from the bushes along the sides of the road. Four in front of them, and one behind. "That's also quite a beauty you've got there. Wouldn't mind spending a couple nights with her…" The man, who was obviously the leader of the other four bandits licked his lips creepily.

Olivia flinched, but Robin merely chuckled. "You've got a good eye." he stroked his horse's mane. "She's a bit old for a horse, but indeed, it would be a perfect match for someone like you."

"Why you!" One of the bandits in front of Robin shouted, obviously offended that Robin insulted their leader. He charged Robin, and thrusted his knife at the shepherd's tactician. Robin dodged to his left. In one smooth motion, he drew his dagger in a reverse grip from the Astral Plane and slashed it across the side of the bandit's neck. He then stabbed the blade into his assailant's back, propelling the bandit further behind him. The bandit hit the ground face first, and very much dead.

Robin flipped his knife around and began to absentmindedly clean it.

"How rude…" Robin shook his head. "I'll give you one last chance. Leave, or I will be forced to spank you."

"Tch." The bandit leader snorted. "Them rich merchants and their egos. Take him down boys! Kill the man, but leave the girl alive!"

The bandit leader's lackeys immediately began to charge Robin and Olivia.

"Keep the one behind us busy." Robin instructed. "I've got these three up here."

"Right!" Olivia drew her new dagger and engaged the bandit to their rear.

"Hey pretty boy!" one of the other bandits in front taunted. "We've got swords, and all you've got is that tiny knife. Not to mention, there are three of us! Give up! We'll give you a quick death and make sure your girl is… well taken care of."

Robin laughed. "And why would I agree to that? You certainly don't know who I am, or you wouldn't pick a fight with such meager numbers."

As he said this, he produced his scythe from the Astral Plane. The two henchmen paused and looked at their leader.

"So what if he knows a little magic?" the leader shouted. "There's still three of us, and only one of him!"

Hearing their leaders words of encouragement, the three of them once again charged Robin.

Robin only smiled. It was no contest. He didn't have a hard time dealing with the Valmese regulars, and these bandits were nowhere close to a typical soldier's level. He quickly was able to cleave apart the two lesser bandits.

Seeing his subordinates getting killed so easily really make the bandit leader think twice about continuing. He immediately turned around and began to run, but Robin simply blasted the fool in the back with his Arcthunder tome.

Robin was just about to put his weapons away when he heard Olivia cry out in pain. He turned around to see the remaining bandit towering over the pinkette as she held one arm around her stomach. The bandit seemed to have several cuts on his body, but none that were fatal. Robin immediately cast his Arcthunder again, and killed the remaining bandit. He rushed over to Olivia's side.

"What happened?" Robin asked in concern.

"He… hit my stomach with his club." Olivia admitted. "I'm a bit rusty fighting with a knife… and I didn't have a sword with me. Mine is still broken from the last battle."

"Can I see your wound?" Robin asked. Olivia removed her hand. As Robin felt the general area, Olivia cried out in pain.

"Looks like you might have a broken rib or two." Robin guessed. "Hold on for just a second."

Robin went around to the bodies of the five bandits and tried to harvest their quintessence. 'Damn, just as I thought. There's not very much from these dumb brigands.' he thought to himself.

After gathering what he could, he returned to Olivia's side. He placed a hand over Olivia's stomach as energy began to seep from Robin to Olivia. Olivia could clearly tell the difference after a few seconds.

"There…" Robin panted, slightly out of breath. "I don't have too much more energy to spare, and the wound is only partially healed. We're gonna need to have Lissa or Maribelle take a good look at it when we return.

"T-then, let's hurry back." Olivia suggested.

"On one condition." Robin raised an index finger. "You ride the horse."

"W-what?" Olivia asked.

"With that injury, I don't want you to keep walking." Robin explained. "It would make me feel better that way." he guided Olivia to the horse and helped her mount it. Then Robin began to lead the horse back towards camp. They moved significantly slower, but they steadily made their way back to camp.

Eventually, the two of them successfully made their way back.

They were greeted by Anna, who had been waiting for Robin to return.

"Olivia!" Anna exclaimed in mock anger. "You're making Robin walk while you ride a horse? On such a short trip too? Tsk tsk!"

"She's injured." Robin quickly explained. "Could you go fetch Lissa or Maribelle?"

"O-oh." Anna replied, immediately feeling quite mortified. "I'll do that right away!"

She ran towards Lissa's tent. A couple moments later, Robin could see the War Cleric running towards them with a staff in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Lissa asked as she arrived.

"Olivia might have a broken rib or two." Robin explained as he helped her off the horse. "We ran into some bandits. If you could look at her wound for me, I'll go to the kitchen and begin to cook."

"All right." Lissa nodded. "I wouldn't wanted to make everyone angry by delaying the meal cooked by Robin!"

Robin chuckled, and parted ways with the two girls.

Once he reached the kitchen, Robin began to unpack everything he'd bought earlier that day. He immediately got to work making a broth, slicing the chicken, dicing the vegetables. Halfway through his work, Olivia hobbled into the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Robin asked.

"Much better!" Olivia exclaimed truthfully. "Lissa said that the wound was already mostly healed. She didn't actually have that much to do. She said to take it easy for the rest of the night, so I won't work on changing my fighting style tonight. But she said I'd be welcome to come watch you cook."

"Good, good." Robin said as he began to add the ingredients into the large pot.

Pretty soon, Olivia could smell the wonderful aroma of Robin's cooking.

"Mmmm…." Olivia's stomach began to rumble as Robin continued to make the food. Just outside the kitchen, Stahl was doing the exact same thing. The Viridian Cavalier always resolved to get to the dining hall extremely early whenever it was Robin's shift in the kitchen. After all, he gets rewarded when Robin asks for his help in tasting the food on occasion.

"Smells pretty good, right?" Robin chuckled. "I think I may have outdone myself this time."

"Yeah, it smells amazing!" Olivia exclaimed truthfully. "I learned just how much a little bit of spice can flavor your food from Gregor. So it's no wonder that your food tastes so good when you put in the right mixture. I guess it's something that I won't be able to learn from you easily."

"In truth, I don't think I'd be able to teach it to you either." Robin told her. "I can't explain how, but I just seem to know what I'm doing in the kitchen. It's like it comes naturally to me. Everything makes sense for me in my mind, but I can't put it to words."

"Yeah, I figured as much." Olivia grumbled.

"Well, the food's almost ready." Robin finally said. "Would you mind informing the rest of the camp?"

"Gladly!" Olivia chirped as she got up from her seat and out of the kitchen.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina was busy bathing at a nearby stream. She had just finished a rigorous training session and felt the need to get rid of the sweaty sensation after a large amount of strenuous exercise. It also wouldn't be very good to run into Robin when she smelled that bad. The water at this particular stream was particularly clean and clear, but just in case, she had borrowed some scented powder from her mother for after she had cleaned herself off. There's no need to smell like dirty swamp water, after all. Especially when she could run into Robin at any point in the camp.

She sighed when she realized just how much she'd started to pay attention to her appearance and personal hygiene after she'd joined the shepherds. She'd even started brushing her hair every morning, which was something she'd never really cared about in her own timeline. There was no one she was trying to impress after all. But it seems that being in close proximity with Robin, and especially because she knows that she now has competition, has caused Lucina to begin to feel a little bit inadequate as a woman. Her way to deal with that is to try harder on maintaining an attractive appearance.

Currently, Lucina was by herself. Everyone had agreed on this particular location being for the females, and so she wasn't worried about anyone walking in on her. The males had their own bathing location elsewhere.

"Lucina!" she eventually heard her mother's voice calling.

"Yes mother!" she called back.

"Dinner's almost ready." Sumia's voice called back. "It's supposed to be really good tonight too! Robin's the cook."

At this, Lucina's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets. It had been several years since she last had a taste of Robin's cooking. If it was anything like what she had eaten in her own timeline, then 'really good' would be a severe understatement.

"I'm on my way!" Lucina exclaimed. She immediately climbed out of the water and began to dry herself off. She took a dry towel and wrapped up her hair. Hopefully, it will have somewhat dried off by the time she got back to camp. She hurriedly began to redress herself after applying some of the scented powder.

Lucina hurried over to the dining hall as soon as possible.

To her dismay, the dining hall was already extremely packed when she got there. News travels fast through their campsite, and apparently everyone was equally as excited about the prospect of Robin cooking their food.

She immediately headed over and got in line. Robin was busy diligently serving everyone their food, and Lucina could smell it all the way from the other side of the tent. If the food tasted anywhere as good as it smelled, she was going to be extremely satisfied.

After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally Lucina's turn. Robin filled a bowl and handed it to her. She gave him a genuine smile, and Robin smiled and nodded at her in acknowledgement.

She made her way towards her parents, who had left an empty spot at their table for her. She sat down, and eagerly spooned some of the chicken soup into her mouth.

Lucina was expecting it to be good, especially since it was Robin cooking. However, she was nowhere as ready as she thought it was. As soon as the food touched her taste buds, waves of nostalgia began to hit her, and the feeling would not go away. Lucina actually felt her eyes begin to tear up.

Chrom chuckled at his daughter's reaction. "What's wrong? I didn't think the food was THAT spicy." This caused his wife to swat him on the back of his head.

"Stop it!" Sumia exclaimed. "Lucina probably hasn't had food like this in a long, long time!"

"Yeah, that was my bad." Chrom admitted, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

"Yeah." Lucina admitted. "The Robin in my future would cook on occasion. He was very talented in the kitchen, and this food just reminded me of some of the happier times in my childhood."

"I… see." Chrom muttered.

"Nya ha! I must admit, I completely understand your sentiment." Henry exclaimed. He was sitting next to Olivia on the other side of the table. "I haven't had some of Robin's cooking since he was back in Plegia!"

"So he used to cook back then?" Sumia asked out of curiosity.

"Yep!" Henry confirmed. "Robin was always a picky eater. Sure, he had servants and maids and stuff to do the cooking for him, but they always aimed to fill you up, rather than to leave you satisfied. Most Plegians were used to that though. Better to have an abundance of bland tasting food than to have none at all. However, Robin would have none of it. He got fed up with eating the same tasteless food over and over, so he resolved to learn how to cook himself. At first, it wasn't much better than the bland food that we were all used to eating, but as time went on, he got better and better. He also… had an abundance of funds to work with, and so he was able to buy the seasoning that most Plegians wouldn't dream of being able to buy. Even the rich refused to 'waste their money on frivolous things' especially since few people knew how to actually make them work. His father wasn't really pleased that Robin was spending time on learning how to cook, especially since he was a…"

Henry almost had a slip of the tongue, and said 'prince' on accident, but he stopped himself in time. "... a person of noble birth. 'That's what servants were for.' was what he would always say. But Robin didn't care. He'd always cook for me and for Tharja too. We'd often have meals together. Just the three of us. And to be honest, after a while, I kind of began to take it for granted. It was pretty difficult for us to adjust to eating what regular Plegians ate after Robin went missing."

"Wow…" Chrom breathed. "I didn't realize that was a part of Robin's past. After knowing that, I guess it's no surprise that he'd be a natural at it. I never was as picky in my early days, that's for sure. And I suppose that's why I can't cook if my life depended on it."

Lucina absentmindedly nodded, but in truth, she was only barely listening. She was preoccupied with finishing the soup in her bowl at the moment. If this was like any regular meal time, she knew there would be a call for seconds soon. And if that was the case, she needed to be ready to go up with an empty bowl.

Soon after, Robin rang the bell in the kitchen, signally that seconds were available. Like clockwork, nearly everyone in the dining hall stood up to go get in line immediately. Robin sweatdropped, as this was something that happened during most of his kitchen shift days. It was almost comical. Almost.

Lucina silently lamented not having a seat closer to the kitchen counter. To be fair though, all of the seats were taken, as the other, clearly more experienced shepherds knew that these seats were of highest priority when Robin was the cook. She was lucky enough that her parents, who were sitting near the middle of the dining hall, saved a spot for her. Otherwise, she'd be like the unlucky individuals that got there late and had to sit in the back.

Robin tried to gauge how much food he had left, and handed out smaller portions for seconds. He was becoming rather accustomed to these types of situations after all. He managed to be able to serve everyone in the dining hall a second time, and was left with barely a single portion left in the pot.

After finishing her food a second time, Lucina, feeling quite satisfied, returned her bowl to the designated location. Many of the other shepherds did the same, and began to file out of the dining hall. Pretty soon, the tent became near empty. Lucina was actually one of the last people left there. She absentmindedly noticed that Gaius, Stahl and Gregor were deliberately staying behind, but didn't attribute it to anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps they were having a nice conversation, or playing cards or something after all. Lucina didn't pay much attention to it, and left to go have some free time during the evening with many of the other shepherds. Perhaps she'll sit around the campfire again tonight.

**Sometime in the distant future…**

A young Lucina was in bed. Her mother and aunt Sumia were also in the room with her. Aunt Lissa was busy trying to help keep the young girl's fever under control.

She wrapped her blankets up tighter around herself. Even though it was the middle of summer, Lucina's sickness made her feel extremely cold. Her entire body shivered, even though she was completely covered by a thick blanket.

"I've done all I could for now." Lissa sighed. "She won't be any critical danger, but she will need a couple days of bed rest."

Sumia nodded. "Thanks Lissa."

"Make sure she also eats." Lissa reminded her sister in law as she was leaving. "It's important for her to have nutrients. It'll let her recover faster."

Sumia nodded. "Robin was making some soup or something in kitchen earlier. He said he'd bring Lucina a bowl when it's ready."

Sure enough, a few moments later, Robin arrived at her room with a bowl of chicken soup in his hands.

"Lissa already left?" he asked Sumia, who gave him a nod. "And what did she say?"

"She's not in any danger anymore." Sumia said with relief. "A few days of bedrest and she should recover."

"Good, good." Robin murmured as he sat down on the bed near the young princess.

"Hey Lucy." he gave the girl a small smile. "I brought you some food."

"I don't want to eat." Lucina protested. "I'm not hungry."

Robin gave a look of disapproval. "How are you going to get better if you don't eat? That feeling is the sickness in your body trying to keep you weak. The way you get rid of your sickness is to toughen up and force yourself to eat, so your body can recover."

"But… I feel like if I have something to eat, I'll just throw up." Lucina said with concern.

"I promise you that won't happen." Robin smiled.

"Really?" Lucina turned her head slightly so she could look at Robin a little better.

"Yeah. I made this soup just for you. Try some of it, and I'm sure you'll feel better." Robin brought a spoonful of the food closer to Lucina.

"O...okay." Lucina said reluctantly as she opened her mouth. Robin was right. The soup did make her feel better, and it tasted good too.

"M...more!" Lucina meekly demanded.

Robin chuckled, and gladly obliged. Soon, the bowl was finished. Lucina felt quite content, and began to feel sleepy. Her eyelids became heavier and heavier, and she eventually closed her eyes and began to nap.

"You're really good to her." Sumia noted after Lucina had fallen asleep. "Honestly, you've probably spent more time with her than Chrom by now."

Robin let out a melancholy chuckle. "It can't really be helped. Chrom has responsibilities for not just his family, but for the kingdom as well. And besides, I don't have any children myself, so it's nice, even if it's for a short time, to actually try and take care of one."

"She seems to enjoy your company as well." Sumia smiled. "I really do feel bad about not being able to give her as much attention, but Cynthia kind of keeps my hands full."

"In the near future, the other shepherd's children will be old enough to play with Lucina." Robin said. "Pretty soon, Lucina will never have a shortage of people to play with."

"But you'll still be around to chaperone them, right?" Sumia asked. "You know, most of them all look up to you as an uncle. An uncle that knows exactly how to make things fun, without completely spoiling them."

Robin laughed. "I never really thought about it like that."

"I honestly wish I had your ability. Or that Chrom has your ability." Sumia continued. "To be able to have several more hours in a day and to be able to work as efficiently as you do… we'd almost have enough time on our hands to get everything we need taken care of."

"It's been a blessing." Robin admitted. "But it's also a curse. It's just more time in a day for me to feel lonely."

"Robin…" Sumia began.

"Don't worry about it, though." Robin smiled. "I think I'm slowly getting accustomed to it. I think I just need some time to pass, and things will get better eventually."

"Yes." Sumia responded. "They definitely will."

**Shepherd's Dining Hall, with Robin…**

Robin was busy cleaning the dishes after yet another successful dinner service. He loved to cook, and loved to make other people happy with his cooking, but he had to admit, cleaning dishes was the worst part of the experience. So he was overjoyed when Gaius, Stahl and Gregor came up to the kitchen to help him.

"Hey Bubbles." Gaius greeted. "That dinner tonight was phenomenal." The assassin touched the tips of his index finger and thumb together, forming an 'OK' gesture.

"Yeah!" Stahl heartily agreed. "I always look forward to your shifts in the kitchen!"

"Gregor agree!" Gregor laughed. "Which is why Gregor and friends come help wonderful tactician with the doing of the dishes!"

Robin smiled. "Thanks you guys. I appreciate it."

"No, no." Gregor protested. "It is us who should be doing the thanking."

The three of them dived right in and helped Robin wash the dishes.

"So, Bubbles." Gaius said as they worked. "We were thinking… there's this tavern in that town… we were gonna go grab a couple drinks there afterwards. You in or you out?"

"You know, we'll going to battle tomorrow right?" Robin asked with concern.

"Yeah, but if we stay back here, the butterflies in my stomach would consume me from the inside out!" Stahl admitted. "It's nice to be able to let loose and relax a bit right before a major battle. It's also not that late yet. We could stay for only an hour or two."

"Friend Stahl here make good point." Gregor nodded. "Nothing like a drink to get your spirits up!"

"C'mon Bubbles!" Gaius urged him. "We're pals, right? I'll even buy your drinks for you!"

"We'll all chip in!" Stahl suggested.

Gregor nodded as well, which was what proved to Robin beyond all doubt that they were serious. Whenever Gregor gave out his own money, you knew it was something important. He couldn't really blame him though. He'd been struggling to make enough to stay alive for a quite a while now.

"Fine." Robin gave an exasperated sigh. "You've convinced me. But show some restraint, all right? Wouldn't be good for us to get completely wasted either."

"All right!" Gaius exclaimed, and began to scrub the dishes ever harder.

With the four of them working on the same task, the mountain of dishes became sparkling clean in no time.

Robin grabbed his cloak from his tent, and the four of them began to walk towards the town.

Along the way, the four of them chatted about random things, laughing and grinning at each other.

Once they reached the tavern, the four of them instantly found a small round table to sit at. Stahl sat across from Robin, with Gregor and Gaius to his sides. A server came around, and each of them ordered a beer.

Gaius, Stahl, and Gregor (who was also in on the plan at this point) deliberately avoided their main topic of interest at first, and talked with Robin and each other about other topics. They made it seem extremely convincing that all they were doing was enjoying a drink or two with some of their friends.

"Don't expect Robin do be able to hold down his alcohol." Gaius joked. "Remember the last time Robin had a 'drink'?"

Gregor and Stahl laughed. Robin let out a chuckle himself.

**Flashback…**

The shepherds had just come down from the Mila Tree.

"Why does the water here seem so clear?" Lissa asked. "And why is it that we can't see any of the bodies that fell in from the fight earlier?"

"Allow me to hypothesize." Miriel began. "My best projection of why this phenomenon occurs has to do with the density of the water."

"Density?" Lissa asked.

"Suffice to conclude, I'm referring to the 'weight' of the water." Miriel explained. "When there exists impurities in water, it makes the substance weigh more. That is why bodies may float easier in the ocean than in a stream. It's possible for the water here to be excruciatingly pure, meaning that nearly everything that falls in will sink. It's also possible that there exists a layer of mud at the bottom that behaves quite like the rumored quicksands of Plegia. Anything that falls in is immediately sucked in, leaving no traces behind. The bodies and other foreign objects can then decompose out of vision."

Miriel adjusted her glasses. "That is merely my hypothesis on the situation. I would necessitate some experimentation for further proof."

"I think her explanation is pretty reasonable." Tiki said, causing everyone to turn to her. "The water is said to be blessed by Naga herself, so it would make sense for it to be 'pure'."

"Yeah…" Lissa nodded. "That makes sense."

Tiki smiled. "The water is also supposed to have a cleansing effect. One sip of it supposedly can restore a fatigued mind back to clarity."

"Wow! That sounds cool!" Lissa exclaimed. "Can we try?"

"Of course!" Tiki gestured to the water.

The shepherds each scooped out a little water and drank it.

"Wow!" Lissa exclaimed. "I feel so refreshed!"

"Oi! Gregor is feeling like twenty years younger!" Gregor exclaimed.

"I feel like I can cast any spell I want! Even the legendary ones!" Ricken grinned enthusiastically.

"I feel like I can take on all of Valm!" Sully declared. "By myself!"

"It does feel quite pleasant." Chrom admitted.

"Aye, sir." Say'ri nodded.

"I had no idea something like this existed!" Lucina smiled.

The only person that was not enjoying the experience was Robin. He took one sip and immediately began to hack and cough. He immediately began to claw at his throat.

Gaius and Nowi began to chuckle slightly.

"Did you really just choke on some water?" Nowi asked.

"And it was the good stuff too!" Gaius added. "How ungrateful!"

"It's not that." Robin finally panted. "I don't know, I just felt a severe burning sensation as I drank the water. I swear I didn't choke on it. I don't know, it didn't feel pleasant at all. If anything, I feel a little more agitated now."

"Nice try." Nowi said, winking at him playfully. "We all know when someone's faking it."

"No really!" Robin protested.

Tiki furrowed her eyebrows. "Interesting… I've never seen anyone with that reaction to the water blessed by Naga…"

Robin shrugged. "I guess it's not something for me. I'll take your words for it though. You all seem refreshed."

With that, the shepherds left the roots of the Mila Tree for good, and returned to their soldier's camp.

**Back to the Present…**

"Oh man!" Stahl laughed, remembering the moment. "That really was funny."

The mindlessly chatted about a few other things as they downed their beer.

After around two beers each, Gaius suddenly brought the subject up.

"So, Bubbles, are you into any girls?" The assassin nudged him with an elbow.

The other three had severely underestimated Robin's tolerance for alcohol. After all, they'd never really seen Robin do any drinking. However, Robin also didn't become suspicious either, especially with how convincing of an act the other three had put up. After all, it was a pretty common topic to bring up among a circle of close friends who all happened to be male. And to be honest, he was beginning to feel a little buzzed, which made him more open to this type of conversation.

"Well…" Robin began.

"Hesitation means yes." Stahl translated.

Robin sighed. "All right, you got me."

"Who is it?" Gaius pressed as he gave Robin a smirk.

"Mmmm… I don't know about that one." Robin returned the gesture.

"Oh come on!" Gaius protested. "We can go around in a circle. We'll all say the name of the girl we're into the most. I'll go first: Cordelia."

"That's not fair." Robin pointed out. "All three of you are married or engaged."

"Which is why Robin must be next!" Gregor pointed at him. "Your friends simply want to help you with finding the love!"

"C'mon Robin, we're all friends here." Stahl told him. "We can be sure to keep a secret for you. And we promise not to judge you."

"I don't know…" Robin said hesitantly. "I don't think I can tell you her name."

"It's Lucina, isn't it?" Gaius suddenly asked.

Robin was, for once, caught completely off guard. His eyes bulged slightly, and his mouth hung open.

The silence was an answer in and of itself.

"I knew it!" Stahl exclaimed as he gave Gaius and Gregor a high five.

Robin, to his credit, recovered shortly after. He placed an elbow on the table and placed his cheek on his hand. "I see. So THAT'S what this was about." he chuckled, realizing he had been tricked.

"So when were you planning to make a move, ya sly fox?" Gaius asked.

"Actually, I wasn't." Robin truthfully said.

"What is your meaning?" Gregor asked, slightly confused.

"Well, she's Chrom's daughter, and I'm his best friend." Robin explained. "I'll admit I find her extremely attractive, but there's no way I could do something like that to Chrom."

"Oi, oi…" Gregor placed an arm around Robin's shoulder. "You like her, yes?"

"Yes…" Robin slowly admitted.

"Enough that if given chance, you would take good care of her, and keep her safe, yes?" Gregor continued.

"Yes…" Robin nodded.

"So then why would Chrom have a problem with it?" Stahl finished for Gregor.

"But he's my best friend!" Robin protested. "And she's his DAUGHTER. Do you all really not see a problem with that?"

"Oi. It's not like you and most gracious employer are old men with great beards and Lucina is young, fetching maiden." Gregor protested.

"He's right." Gaius interjected. "Remember that the circumstances are extremely unique for us. Even though she's Blue's daughter, she's not much younger than you or I."

"True." Stahl nodded. "It would usually be bad mannered to marry a close friend's daughter, but I think there could be an exception when the friend's daughter is only a few years younger than the friend. This is something that would usually never be a problem, but Lucina is special because of the whole time traveling thing."

"But then there's the other problem." Robin continued. "What if she doesn't want that sort of relationship with me? Not only would I make her upset, but Chrom would DEFINITELY be mad if he realized I try to make a move on his daughter against her wishes."

"That's… probably your best argument yet, Bubbles." Gaius admitted.

"Oi, this may be a little bit of… how you say… bad mannered, but…" Gregor began. "Gregor will marry Nowi, yes? And Nowi is very lovely, but she have big mouth. One night, Nowi mention that Lucina said Robin is single in the future." At this, Robin flinched slightly. "Which is why Gregor think… won't Robin be more happy if friends help him get with girl?"

"Gregor makes a good point." Stahl nodded. "I'm willing to bet that no one realized that in the future, but because we're aware of that now, we are able to help you out here."

"I don't know about Sully, but I know for a FACT that this is something Nowi would be severely interested in, and I'm sure Cordelia would also want to help you find happiness." Gaius noted. "We could maybe talk to them and see if they're willing to help find out if Lucina feels anything towards you."

"But…" Robin began to protest.

"Don't be doing the worrying." Gregor comforted him. "We don't have to be letting them know that Robin is in on it."

"Yeah." Stahl agreed. "We could bring it up casually as if we're just gossiping. I'm sure they'd be happy to help us out here. It's pretty common banter among the married shepherds after all. And even if Sully seems cold and distant, she DOES have a soft spot in her heart if you really know her. I think she'd be interested in the topic too."

Robin sweatdropped. "It's almost as if you guys already put a lot of thought into this one."

"Guilty as charged." Gaius pointed at the tactician. "Although… you and Chrom are like the glue holding us all together. Think of it, I don't know too much about Stahl, but if it weren't for the two of you, I'd wager I'd still be a wanted convict crawling around the streets of Ylisstol, and Gregor would be Naga knows where working for some other cold hearted employer. By bringing us together, you were able to change our lives and help us find happiness. We simply want to repay the favor."

"Yes, Gregor agree!" Gregor nodded. "We not do this only because we like to do the gossiping. Gregor and friends seriously want to help out Robin."

"Well, I'm glad I have such… thoughtful friends, I guess." Robin chuckled. "All right then. If you do manage to find out that Lucina has feelings for me, I'll think about making a move on her. But the thought won't even cross my mind before then."

The other three looked at each other and grinned. Stahl gave Gregor another high five, and Gaius gave the other two a thumbs up.

"Shall we begin to head back then?" Stahl finally suggested. "After all, it'd be good to 'show some restraint' before our big battle, right?"

Robin smiled at his own quote. "That sounds like a responsible soldier right there."

The four of them payed off their tab and left the tavern.

Robin let out a genuine smile as they returned back to camp. For the first time in a while, he dared to think about the possibility of actually getting together with Lucina. The feeling excited him to no end.


	28. Sibling Blades

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello everyone, it's been a while! (At least, by my standards.) In truth, I wasn't able to have much time to write in the past week or so, but I think it can be excusable because it HAS been finals season after all. But now that it is technically summer for me, I should have some more time on my hands, and so you all can expect to have (somewhat) of a more consistent upload schedule.**

**That being said… we are almost reaching the point in the story that many of you are probably waiting for. I promised that this story would contain Robin x Lucina, and so my faithful readers MUST have it… eventually. It should only be a few more chapters at most. I like to think that I've spent a decently long time building up the story, and so I hope that the reveal will not disappoint.**

**However, that's for the near future. In the meantime, enjoy chapter 28: **

**Earlier that night…**

Lucina was sitting around the campfire, where the female shepherds conversed with one another in the evening, before they all went to bed.

"Man, that dinner was good tonight!" Lissa exclaimed. "Honestly, I don't know how he does it. I don't think anyone in the shepherds can even come close to making something that good."

"You watched him make the food today." Sumia said towards Olivia. "Can you share any of it with us?"

"Well…" Olivia mumbled. "I… can't really. The way he goes about preparing… he does it just like the rest of us, but what he does when he actually cooks… there's no way I could learn, or even try to replicate it."

"What do you mean?" Sully asked.

"Well, Robin said it himself." Olivia explained. "The stuff he does in the kitchen, he can't really put it into words. It's like it just comes to him. He said it's not something he'd be able to teach me, even if he tried to."

"You've known Robin since he was in Plegia." Cordelia nudged Tharja. "Has he always been like that?"

"Yes." Tharja grumbled, clearly not happy about being touched.

"Oh yeah… Henry did mention that during dinner." Olivia noted, and Sumia nodded in agreement.

"Did he now?" Tharja looked at the pinkette with a frown upon her face.

"Mmhmm!" Olivia smiled. "He said that Robin used to cook for you two, and that the three of you would often have meals together."

"Ah, yes." Tharja let out a happy sigh at the memories. "I can still remember those days vividly. I remember his father being angry at him for trying to learn how to cook, instead of studying tactics or something."

"And why is that?" Lucina asked. "Isn't it a great skill to have?"

"Maybe… but not from his perspective." Tharja admitted. "His father always believed that cooking was for the maids and servants, and a task that was more fitting for women."

"See, that's the type of men I hate the most." Sully barked. "If I met him, I'd bash his skull in."

Tharja let out a chuckle. "Yes, I'm sure you would. But Robin didn't care. He turned meal times from something that people do for the sake of survival into something that Henry and I look forward to. I'm honestly surprised that he's not attempting to take all the cooking shifts himself. After all, there's no way something like my cooking could ever taste good to him, given how picky he was about his food back in Plegia."

"Maybe his lost memories have something to do with that?" Anna offered. "Like maybe it caused him to forget about how picky he was, and it turns out that it's not as big of a deal for him now?"

"Maybe…" Olivia murmured. 'Although… it's probably because he can't actually afford to do the cooking every single night…' she silently thought to herself.

Just then, Nowi ran over and joined the circle.

"Hey!" the Manakete shouted as she got there. "Did you guys see? Robin went off to a tavern earlier with Gregor, Stahl and Gaius!"

This drew the attention of many of the female shepherds.

"How do you know?" Anna asked suspiciously.

"Well, silly." Nowi giggled. "I just asked Gregor, and of course he told me!"

"Going out to drink before an important battle is not something Robin usually does…" Sumia noted.

"Yeah I agree!" Nowi nodded enthusiastically. "Which is why I'm pretty sure it wasn't his idea. The other three must have convinced him. Knowing that Gaius is with them, they definitely are up to no good."

"What's THAT supposed to me?" Cordelia asked, slightly offended someone was talking about her fiance that way.

"Well," Nowi smiled. "Gaius is very sneaky. There's probably a reason they're taking him to a tavern of all places."

"My hypothesis is…" Everyone turned their attention to Miriel. She rarely spoke, so everyone took her extremely seriously when she did. "They've hauled him off in order to discuss matters of the heart."

"Matters… of the heart?" Say'ri asked, as if she hadn't heard the bespectacled woman clearly. She rarely was able to attend these campfires, so she jumped on the opportunity when she had it.

"Girls!" Lissa exclaimed, realizing what Miriel had meant. "They must be talking about girls!"

"That actually makes sense." Maribelle conceded. "The rest of them are married, so it's possible that they're curious about who Robin is into. After all, he's one of the few men in camp that isn't married or engaged."

"And probably the most interesting one too." Sully smirked. "Ol' Kellam may as well be a brick wall, and I didn't think Ricken is old enough to be capable of liking girls yet."

This earned a chuckle from some of the female shepherds. Although Ricken wasn't much younger than everyone else, everyone joked around about him because of his height. It's something Ricken has just learned to accept at this point.

"Oh man!" Nowi exclaimed as she looked towards Say'ri, Anna and Lucina in a not so discreet way. "Would I LOVE to be a fly on the wall while they have that discussion!"

"Hmm, that WOULD be something extremely interesting." Cordelia admitted, completely oblivious to the bright red faces of the aforementioned three. "This IS Robin we're talking about."

"It's not gonna be me, so why does it matter?" Tharja muttered. However, she internally admitted that she would also like to know.

"Hey!" Lissa realized. "Maribelle's been introducing a few of the Ylissean noblemen's daughters to him in the past two years! Do you think that Robin's into one of them?"

Anna felt the blood in her veins turn to ice. She hadn't been with the shepherds during those two years! What if Robin already had a sweetheart back in Ylisstol? She turned to Say'ri, and found that, although she kept her composure, her jaw was clenched and her eye was twitching. Apparently, the two of them had reached a similar conclusion. Anna had to admit, if she lost Robin to one of these two within the shepherd's camp, she could MAYBE respect his decision. But if he chose some unknown noble girl instead of them, she'd be more than a little upset.

However, when Anna turned to Lucina, Anna found that the future princess's face didn't appear to have any signs of frustration or worry on it. She seemed relaxed, and Anna swore she saw a smirk on Lucina's face.

"I doubt it." Maribelle waved her hand dismissively. "The only reason I was introducing those harlots to him was because my father asked me to. Several of the noble families in Ylisse were offering him favors as long as I introduced their daughters to Robin. Those scallywags are just trying to use him to gain prestige for their families. I talked with all of the girls myself. Not a single one of them is interested in Robin as a person, and deep down, I think Robin realizes that too. He's never gone on more than a single date with any of them. Someone as smart as him would not fall for such parlor tricks."

Anna looked at Lucina again, and realized that the future princess did indeed have a smirk across her face. 'She must have known somehow…' Anna concluded. 'Perhaps I really should be cautious of the information she likely has from the future…'

"Maribelle is right." Lucina endorsed the Valkyrie's statement. "At least… if this timeline is anything like my own."

"What do you mean?" Sully asked.

"Remember how I… revealed that Robin was single in the future?" Lucina continued, feeling a little bit embarrassed upon bringing up the memory. "Well anyways, that was something he was definitely struggling with. He kept trying to find the right person, and to make things work out between them. However, time after time, it always ends up the same way. The girl was never into him as a person and was only dating him because of her parent's ambitions, and so the relationship crumbles. Everytime it happened, Robin would fall into a bout of depression that grew worse and worse as time went on…"

"Wow…" Lissa smirked. "It seems like Lucina is our resident expert on our dear tactician, Robin… I bet she's spent hours upon hours… thoroughly researching him." Lissa said this last part with a strong hint of innuendo in her voice.

"I-it's not like that!" Lucina immediately denied, her face turning crimson. "He was always working at the castle, and he spent some time with me when I was younger. That's the only reason I know!"

This earned her some eye rolls from exactly four other female shepherds, namely Nowi, Olivia, Anna and Say'ri.

"Sure…" Lissa continued. "I wouldn't be surprised if we found you in Robin's tent in the morning one of these days…"

The War Cleric giggled as she saw Lucina blushing and squirming around uncomfortably.

"A-aunt Lissa!" she stammered.

"All right, all right!" Lissa laughed. "I'll stop teasing you."

"But that's kind of sad, isn't it?" Sumia whispered, bringing some more seriousness to the conversation.

"How?" Panne asked, content with just listening in on the rest of the shepherds. This was not a subject she is familiar with, after all.

"Well, Lucina mentioned that all of the shepherds died… and that means Robin must have died alone." Sumia clarified. "That sounds terrible."

"Yeah." Cordelia nodded. "It's a shame. He's such a great person, but I guess no one saw him as a great man, but rather as a ticket to earning themselves or their family more prestige."

"Such is the world of politics." Maribelle sighed. "In the future, he probably was so renowned that few people in Ylisse did not know of him. And so, they must see him for his actions and accomplishments instead of the person he truly is."

There was a long silence at the circle as they all pondered the subject. However, no one knew what else to add to the conversation.

"Since when did Robin become such an important focal point of our discussions?" Cherche asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Well, don't you feel the urge to help him?" Cordelia asked. "He sounds like he could use some support."

"Well, yes." Cherche admitted. "But by talking about it in a circle won't do him any good. If Miriel's suspicions are correct, then we can only trust Gaius, Stahl and Gregor at this point. Perhaps they're the ones helping Robin out right now. I say we stop this conversation and leave it for another night. We have plenty of other things to talk about after all."

"Yeah, you're right." Lissa agreed as she thought about what else they could talk about. "Hey did you guys see Lady Tiki when she fought in Fort Steiger?"

"Aye." Say'ri nodded. "Lady Tiki may seem quite gentle in appearance, but in combat she doesn't hold back… In fact..."

The female shepherds continued to discuss various other topics. Even though Lucina, and possibly a few of the other shepherds, would've liked to keep discussing about Robin, they were powerless to derail their conversation and bring up Robin again. Many of the married shepherds, although interested, did not give the topic the same importance as she did after all. Putting that much priority on the topic to bring it up a second time would rouse more suspicion than she'd like.

Eventually, the female shepherds began to talk about a variety of different topics, and completely left the gossip about Robin behind. The night grew later and later, and with most of the female shepherds engrossed in their discussion, not many of them realized when Robin's group came back from the tavern.

Lucina was one of the few that DID notice. Robin seemed to be laughing and in a good mood as he returned with the other three shepherds. The future princess felt one part joy at how happy Robin seemed, and two parts worried about the details of Robin's conversation. She hadn't known Robin for too long, at least not in this timeline. The chances that she was the one Robin admitted to being attracted to couldn't be very high, right?

"I'm going to retire for the night." Lucina was pulled out of her thoughts when Cordelia suddenly got up. She smirked. "After all, Gaius is back, I have to go make sure he doesn't accidently hurt himself or something. Who knows how drunk he is."

"Ah, the joys of married life…" Anna giggled. "Good night, Cordelia."

The rest of the female shepherds also wished her goodnight, and the Falcon Knight went off to find her fiance.

Gaius was already in their shared tent. He was busy washing his face when Cordelia walked in.

"Hey Cordelia." Gaius greeted as his fiance joined him inside the tent.

Cordelia smiled. Gaius almost never called anyone by their given name, so it was something only she could experience.

"So how was it?" Cordelia asked as she began to undress and change into her night's clothes. "You don't seem too drunk."

"Nah." Gaius dried his face off with a towel. "Robin made sure we didn't have too much to drink. He said it would be bad to do so before a large battle."

"That's Robin, I guess." Cordelia chuckled. "Always the responsible one. And how about the conversation? Did you get anything out of him?"

Gaius turned to his beloved. His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, didn't you drag him off to find out who he likes?" Cordelia asked, just as she was getting finished changing. "At least, that's what Miriel deduced after Nowi revealed that you all dragged him off to a tavern."

'This might complicate things a bit.' Gaius thought to himself as he grinned. 'At least we told Gregor to keep this information from Nowi. Once that girl finds out, the entire camp will know in the matter of minutes!'

"Maybe…" Gaius eventually smiled as he approached Cordelia. He wrapped his arms around his bride to be and kissed her on the neck. "Mmm… you smell nice."

Cordelia merely giggled, as she was quite used to Gaius's antics by now. "All right then, tell me. What did you learn?"

"You know, this type of information is very sensitive." Gaius waggled a finger at her. "Tell one wrong person, and the entire camp will find out."

"So you're saying you don't trust me then?" Cordelia mock pouted. "And to think I agreed to marry you too!"

"Now, now." Gaius whispered as he caressed Cordelia's cheek. "I didn't say that. It was just a warning… I'll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself, all right?"

Cordelia didn't seem too happy about that. "Fine…" she eventually conceded.

"All right then." Gaius moved his mouth up to Cordelia's ear.

"The person Robin is into is…" Gaius began to whisper "...Lucina."

Cordelia's eyes bulged out when she heard this. "Are you sure?"

Gaius smirked and nodded. "Definitely."

"Could he have just claimed that to avoid telling you who he really likes?" Cordelia asked. "That seems like something he'd be capable of doing."

"He wasn't the one to say it." Gaius shook his head. "We were the ones to claim it, and he only sat there, looking at us in shock."

"He could have just been surprised by what you're suggesting." Cordelia protested. "You still don't know for sure."

"Nah." Gaius waved his hand. "You weren't there. His reaction… as well as his actions afterwards. One hundred percent genuine. I can usually tell when someone's faking, and Robin definitely wasn't faking it. He admitted it afterwards too."

"But… isn't she Chrom's daughter?" Cordelia asked. "Surely Robin would've ruled her out as a possibility as soon as he found out about their relation."

"That's actually why Robin is so hesitant to make a move." Gaius admitted. "Robin told us on the way back that he began to develop a crush on her when she was still hiding her identity, and so it was a real shock for him when she was revealed to be Chrom's daughter. But at that point, he had already developed feelings for her."

"I…see." Cordelia nodded. "And how many others know about this?"

"Hmm…" Gaius brought a hand to his chin. "Well, I know about it… Stahl and Gregor heard from him first hand too… Stahl will probably tell Sully later tonight, and I told you. We decided it was probably for the best that we keep Nowi out of this loop, since she'll probably have a hard time keeping it to herself."

"That seems pretty wise." Cordelia admitted. "So I guess five of us then?"

"For now." Gaius shrugged. "It wouldn't be that much of a secret if everyone knows about it."

"That means Lucina doesn't know yet, right?" Cordelia asked.

"As far as I know, no." Gaius replied. "She shouldn't."

"Hmm…." Cordelia looked deep in thought. "Do you think it'd be a good idea to share this with Sumia? Maybe she would be able to find out what Lucina thinks of Robin."

Gaius blanched. "Uh… don't you think there's a good chance Chrom will find out if you tell her? They ARE married after all."

"Maybe you're right." Cordelia admitted. "What if I tried to get Sumia to find out without mentioning anything about Robin? I think I could a way to bring it up without being too suspicious."

"Hmm…" Gaius seemed to think about the idea. "I suppose that could work. You'd probably be the best person to ask Sumia about that."

Gaius stretched and gave a loud yawn. "Well, even though I didn't have too much to drink, I still feel exhausted. It's pretty late too… I'm ready to go to sleep."

Cordelia smiled. "Yes, perhaps this is something we can worry about tomorrow."

Cordelia got under the blankets of their bedroll. A few moments later, she felt Gaius slip under the covers with her. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and a warm body press into her back.

"I'm so glad you agreed to marry me." Gaius whispered into his fiance's ear. "I'll make sure you don't regret it."

Cordelia had a smile on her face as she fell asleep.

**Somewhere close, yet so far away…**

Basilio and his forces were busy fighting against Emperor Walhart's forces. The rain was making things even more difficult.

"Fall back and form up!" Basilio commanded. "Don't let them scatter us!"

"Easier said than done!" Flavia replied. "Their calvary is riding all over us!"

"We can hold our ground!" Basilio insisted. "I'll show you how a real Feroxi fights, woman!"

"Did I hear a crack in your voice?" Flavia teased. "Is that fear in your eye?"

"Never!" Basilio laughed. "Let's give these chumps a taste of our barbarian roots!"

"Now THAT's the oaf I love!" Flavia chuckled. Her expression then turned serious. "Wait… what was that? Our soldiers…"

A short distance ahead of them, a crimson rider slashed apart several Feroxi soldiers. It only took him one swing to kill each one.

"They're swatting our troops like flies!" Basilio exclaimed.

"Is it some form of elite calvary?" Flavia squinted. "Gods… it's just one man!"

"YOU THERE!" the crimson rider roared, pointing his weapon at Basilio. "Do you command these forces? I am the emperor Walhart, and I will make you kneel before me!" The rider charged Basilio.

"Aww crap!" Basilio gritted his teeth.

Walhart swung his axe at Basilio, and the West Khan retaliated. However, Walhart was able to severely injure Basilio, while the Warrior was unable to make even a scratch on the crimson horseman's armor.

"Such strength…" Basilio panted. "Is he even human?"

"Impressive." Walhart chuckled. "You're the first besides Yen'fay to survive past a single stroke."

"I don't stand a chance!" Basilio exclaimed. "Flavia! Everyone! Run! Run for your lives!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Flavia protested.

"He's a demon, woman!" Basilio roared back. "I can keep him occupied… while you escape. Damn… it looks like the lass was right…"

"I think not!" Flavia exclaimed. "I'm here, so that means things can be changed! Damn you oaf! You're not getting away from me that easily!"

Walhart swung his axe at Basilio again, but Flavia rushes in and blocks the hit. This gives Basilio and opportunity to swing at his opponent, this time scoring a major hit. However, Walhart, even after getting injured, didn't falter and swings at Basilio again, knocking the man down.

"Flavia…" Basilio croaked. "Give this… to Chrom. It's the gemstone… Gules."

"Give it to him yourself, you one eyed clod of a man!" Flavia yelled. "I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you!"

"Fool woman!" Basilio exclaimed. "I'm done here… don't let it be for nothing. For once in your life… just do as I say! Go!"

With that, Basilio fell over, lying motionless on the ground.

"Basilio!" Flavia roared. Reluctantly, she retreated away from the battle as quickly as possible. Some of their soldiers put themselves between their remaining khan and the Valmese emperor in order to help secure her retreat. However, they would soon meet the same fate as their fallen comrades.

**The Next Morning…**

Robin was in the command tent with Chrom, Frederick and Say'ri.

"Today's the day we meet with Yen'fay." Chrom said grimly. "We cannot afford to lose."

"Something concerning came to me last night." Robin began. "What if the dynasts who betrayed us attack from our backside as we engage Yen'fay? We wouldn't be able to deal with that kind of battle."

"Aye." Say'ri agreed. "'Twould be an easy victory, and they can easily curry favor with the empire without too much of a risk. That is exactly how they think."

"Which is why we need to choose the location of our battle carefully." Chrom nodded.

"Say'ri, there was that mountain slightly to our southwest." Robin said with his brows furrowed. "I've seen it smoking for hours… even last night, and yet, there don't seem to be any trees on it."

"Ah…" Say'ri said in understanding. "I believe you mean Demon's Ingle. It's no forest fire. That mountain is a volcano. It is known and feared by all of Valm. Few dare to even draw close, lest they anger the wicked fire god."

"Robin?" Chrom asked. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Robin smirked. "Only if you're wondering how fast we can get to the volcano."

"Go to Demon's Ingle!?" Say'ri exclaimed. "Do you know what you're saying?"

"I'm saying your opportunistic former friends won't dare follow us." Robin explained. "And we'd be able to use the terrain to our advantage against your brother."

"Hmm… and my brother will still come." Say'ri nodded. "His stubborn pride will still force his hand."

"Then it seems we have our strategy." Frederick nodded.

"... 'Tis a risky plan." Say'ri admitted. "But I cannot devise one better. And… you two do seem to have a peculiar talent for performing miracles."

"I'll inform everyone to get ready to march." Frederick bowed and exited the tent.

Robin frowned, seeming to be disturbed by some unpleasant thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Chrom chuckled. "Doubting yourself already?"

"No, no." Robin shook his head. "I'm confident it's the right thing to do. I'm just concerned… nevermind, I'm sure it's nothing."

"Are you sure, Sir Robin?" Say'ri asked. "'Twould be unwise to solve troubling enigmas all by your lonesome."

"Yeah." Robin nodded. "It's fine. C'mon, we have to get ready to tear down camp as well."

Chrom nodded, and the three remaining people in the command tent left to help pack everything up.

**Moments Later…**

Cordelia felt extremely lucky. Sumia had elected to fly instead of march with the shepherds by foot today. This made it extremely easy for her to get a chance to talk to her friend without any interruptions.

Cordelia flew Aurora up next to Sumia's Belfire.

"Hey Sumia!" the Falcon Knight called.

"Oh hey Cordelia!" the Dark Flier quickly responded. "Is there something you needed?"

"No," Cordelia said. "I just wished to have a chat with a good friend."

"Oh I see." Sumia smiled. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to talk about YOU." Cordelia chuckled. "After all, we're about the same age. But I don't have any children yet, whereas you have a daughter that's nearly a grown woman."

"Oh stop it!" Sumia giggled. "Remember, Lucina said that you have a daughter that came back from the future with her as well. She has to be a grown woman by now too!"

"Actually, that got me wondering…" Cordelia continued, finally able to transition into what she really was after. "Since she is getting to that age, do you think Lucina has a boyfriend?"

"B-boyfriend?" Sumia asked.

"Yeah." Cordelia nodded. "She's around the age where that kind of thing begins to become important, right? So, do you know? Is she already with one of the others that came back from the future? Did she mention anything about it to you before?"

"I… I don't know." Sumia truthfully said.

"That's too bad." Cordelia sighed. "I guess I was just a little curious. There could be so many outcomes and possibilities with traveling through time."

"Maybe… maybe I could ask her and try to find out." Sumia offered. "Maybe when I have the time. She'd tell me, right? At least, I think she'd tell me. However, I'm also worried that it'll evoke some painful memories."

"What do you mean?" Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well, what if that special person wasn't able to come back with her?" Sumia suggested. "It's possible that he might have been killed by the Risen or something in the future. If that's the case, wouldn't asking her just make her sad?"

"Oh… I hadn't thought about that." Cordelia admitted.

"Still… now that you mention it… I am a little curious myself." Sumia told her friend. "I'll try my best to get her to tell me, but I can't promise anything."

"Great!" Cordelia smiled. "If you find anything out, I'll be excited to hear from you."

"Sure." Sumia returned the smile. "No problem."

**An Hour or Two Later…**

The shepherds had just reached Demon's Ingle. They made their movements extremely obvious in order to make sure Yen'fay and the dynasts knew exactly where they were. Since Yen'fay's troops had yet to arrive, Chrom allowed the shepherds to take a rest, but warned them to remain vigilant in case they showed up unexpectedly.

Robin and Chrom took the time to survey the area that might turn into the battlefield.

"Hmm, it looks like if we really want to scare off the dynasts, we'll have to wage our battle here." Chrom pointed towards an area on the interior of the volcano.

The ground was made of a rocky substance, and there were pits full of a glowing liquid throughout the field. Robin's eyes went wide as he recognized the scene from his dream.

"Soldiers from Chon'sin… Yen'fay…" Robin muttered to himself. He immediately turned and ran towards where the shepherds were resting.

"Hey!" Chrom called after him. "What's wrong?"

"There's something important I need to do!" Robin called back.

"I guess there must be." Chrom chuckled as he shook his head.

Robin ran past everyone, looking frantically for a certain redhead. Many of the shepherds turned towards him when they saw him run past them.

"Robin?" Lucina murmured to herself as the tactician rushed past her.

Finally, Robin found the person he was looking for. She was sitting down on the slope of the mountain, taking a drink from a canteen.

"Anna! Anna!" Robin called as he stopped in front of her. He rested his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

"Wh-what is it?" Anna asked as she put her water away. This was something Robin didn't usually do, so there was a tiny bit of concern in her voice.

"There's something really important I need to talk to you about." Robin continued.

"R-really?" Anna asked, feeling her cheeks beginning to heat up.

'Did Gaius and the others convince him to make a move? Does this mean the person he likes is me?' she thought to herself hopefully.

"Promise me Anna…" Robin whispered. "Promise me you'll be extra careful of your surroundings in the upcoming battle. Act like someone will blindside you at every single point during the fight. And as such, fight like you're paranoid about someone striking you from your blind spots."

"Eh?" Anna asked, getting something completely different than what she was expecting. "What caused you to tell me this of all things?"

"I… I had a bad feeling… perhaps a premonition." Robin admitted. "I'm concerned that you'll get… really badly hurt during this fight."

"Awww, so you care about me!" Anna translated. "You could've just said so! In fact, I'm really glad that you-"

She was interrupted when Robin grabbed her shoulders forcefully. He gave Anna a slight shake.

"It's not a joke Anna!" Robin exclaimed. "Take me seriously! There's a chance you could be dead by nightfall!"

Anna's eyes went wide. "Isn't that the same for everyone?" she whispered as she looked away from the seemingly angry expression on Robin's face.

Robin soon realized what he had done. He removed his hands from Anna.

"I'm sorry." Robin apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you. But please, take me seriously when I say this. You really need to be extra careful this upcoming battle."

"I… I understand." Anna said sullenly. She finally forced herself to look Robin in his eyes. "Thank you… for caring about me."

"Just… stay safe." Robin replied as he turned around and began to leave. "The river of time always favors its original course."

"Wh-what?" Anna muttered with a confused expression on her face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Robin!" Chrom called from a fair distance away. "Our scouts see Yen'fay's troops approaching! We should get ready for battle!"

Robin nodded, and began to sprint back over. The rest of the shepherds and soldiers got up from their rest and began to head over as well.

Once everyone had gathered around the battlefield, Robin began to give instructions.

"We'll be fighting our battle here." Robin indicated to the molten field behind him. "This is for strategic reasons. The dynasts will be much less likely to surround us with Yen'fay's troops, so we can just focus on dealing with Yen'fay. That being said…"

Robin tore out a used up page from one of his tomes. He tossed the page into one of the lava pits. As soon as the substance touched the page, the paper erupted into flames and burned away to nothing in a matter of seconds.

"This area is also extremely dangerous." Robin finished. "Falling in is the same thing as dying. Make sure you're careful of your footing, and try not to get knocked in. That being said, if push comes to shove, you can also knock the opposing troops into them. We have a slight advantage in this regard, as Yen'fay is said to control a large number of swordmasters. They are quite easy to knock around, if you can hit them that is. The ground also makes it more difficult for soldiers that rely on dodging to be as successful, but keep in mind that it also works that way for us."

The shepherds nodded in understanding.

"Due to the limited area inside the volcano, the shepherds will lead the fight against Yen'fay." Robin continued. "The rest of our soldiers will stand guard out here…" Robin gestured to the side of the mountain near the entrance to the interior. "The dynasts are less likely to follow us here, but in the event that they do, our soldiers will do their best to fight them off. That way, the shepherds can focus on taking down Yen'fay."

Just as Robin was finishing up his instructions, Valmese and Chon'sin soldiers began to file into the volcano from the entrance on the other side of the mountain. They did not hesitate to enter the molten field, and began to spread out as they advanced towards the shepherds.

"Shepherds! Stand with me!" Chrom commanded as he went forward to meet them. The shepherds roared in agreement and followed after their leader.

**Meanwhile…**

Yen'fay stood facing the shepherds. His troops had already begun to take the field and the fight was just about to begin.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light next to him as an all too familiar sage warped in.

"Why, General, there seems to be a melancholic air about you today." Excellus noted. "Whatever is the problem?"

The short, round sage pretended to think about it for a second. "Oh, today is the day you face off against your beloved sister, am I right? Dear me, of course it is! Well of course you'd be in a foul mood then…"

"She is a rebel and a traitor to the empire." Yen'fay calmly declared. "I have no sister."

"Oh, very good! Very good!" Excellus conceded. "Right out of the book, General Yen'fay!"

He leaned in close to the swordmaster. "And I commend your acting ability." the sage whispered. "It's very convincing! I think all your soldiers heard you too."

Excellus then retreated his head back a reasonable distance. "In any case, I'm SO glad I can trust you not to take it easy on her ragtag little troupe."

Yen'fay said nothing, and his expression gave little away.

"Yes, we BOTH know that you would never let any of her comrades escape, don't we?" Excellus cackled. "Oh, I know it must be so difficult, General! But think of it this way: You still have a family! A big one! Why, the whole imperial army is your family now!"

Excellus sighed, still not receiving any reactions from Yen'fay.

"Well, I must be going now." Excellus finally said. "Do tell your sister I say hello! Ta ta!"

With that, Excellus left just as quickly as he had arrived.

"You little toad…" Yen'fay muttered under his breath once the sage had left. "My service to you and the imperial army ends today."

He turned towards the battle, where his troops, receiving few instructions from him, were currently being slaughtered under the careful guidance by the tactician from Ylisse.

Yen'fay smiled. There was a reason he had put the Valmese soldiers towards the front for this battle. He turned to his personal followers who were standing protectively around him.

"Don't fight unless you're personally threatened." Yen'fay instructed them. "Also, if I were to fall in this battle, I want you all to retreat. Afterwards, do whatever your hearts desire."

"General Yen'fay!" one of the swordmasters exclaimed. "Please! Don't even joke like that! There's no one that could possibly take YOU down."

"Just follow my instructions." Yen'fay replied. "Whether I can be killed or not is irrelevant."

The swordmaster sighed. "Yes sir!" he replied.

"Good." Yen'fay nodded. "The Ylisseans will be here soon…"

**With Robin…**

The battle was going extremely well so far. However, the battle within his dreams was also the same. In fact, the two battles were eerily similar to one another. Robin swore that he recognized patterns and skirmishes in the current battle that were exactly the same as the one in his dream.

He tried giving instructions based on what he saw from his dream, and found out that everything was working out the way he remembered. In fact, this battle made his skills seem even more terrifying, because it was as if he could see the future as well as understand exactly how to go about winning the battle.

'There!' Robin thought to himself. He saw Kellam strike a sage with his lance while simultaneously pushing a swordmaster into a fiery pit with his shield. It was something he had noticed within his dream, and not something that is easily forgettable.

Robin turned towards the other side of the field. Right on schedule, Sully and Stahl worked together to kill an enemy Paladin that was too overextended.

'That means…' Robin thought to himself. He frantically scanned the battlefield, trying to find where Anna was. To his dismay, he saw the redhead in the middle of combat. Although she had a Levin sword instead of a killing edge this time, the scene looked all too familiar. Robin snuck a glance at his Hekseer, and noticed the Griffon Rider that would have killed her beginning to approach.

"Not good!" Robin said out loud as he suddenly ran away from his post towards the Trickster.

"What?" Maribelle exclaimed. "Where are you going?"

Robin temporarily ignored her and ran towards Anna as fast as he possibly could. He hoped he would get there in time.

However, it seems his fears were beginning to become true. The Griffon Rider was able to sneak up on Anna much faster than Robin, who was busy running over the unstable ground.

"Anna!" Robin shouted in alarm, causing the redhead to look back at him in surprise. Her eyes widened as she saw Robin beginning to aim a spell towards her.

"Are you mad!?" Anna exclaimed, not wanting to believe that Robin was about to blast her with a magic spell. Robin seemed to not hear her as he finished casting Thoron. The laser of electrical energy flew towards her. She closed her eyes, feeling both scared and betrayed, and waited for her death.

She felt nothing of the sort. Instead, there was the feeling of something moving quickly by her. She opened her eyes, and saw a Tomahawk embedded into the ground next to her. She turned around to see that Robin had hit the Griffon behind her. This caused the beast to suddenly change its course and for its rider's swing to miss.

Anna quickly reacted and slashed her Levin sword across the Rider's neck, killing him. It wasn't the way the weapon was designed to work, but the serrated edge of her sword meant it was still possible to slash someone up at close distance.

She turned around to see Robin give her a smile before running back towards his original position.

"Robin... " Anna murmured. "You were right."

The Trickster recognized how close to death she had been. She had been too careless, and had forgotten about Robin's warning. However, this brush with death vividly reminded her. Anna went about the rest of the battle extremely cautiously, and didn't put herself at as much risk as she had before.

The rest of the battle went fairly smoothly. Robin began to feel the natural unfamiliarity and uncertainty of how his opponents would act and it began be feel normal for him to conduct the battle once again. The shepherds slowly inched their way forward, and crushed the Valmese and Chon'sin troops one by one. Robin felt pleased to see that Anna was beginning to fight much more cautiously. He still kept an eye on her, because there was a chance that something else would kill her in this battle. He had to listen to his own advice, after all.

Eventually, the shepherds made their way across the molten field, taking down all of the imperial soldiers. They began to surround Yen'fay and his closest followers in a half circle. Lucina took the opportunity to find a place to stand next to Robin. There was little risk for doing so. She could just play it off as a coincidence if she needed.

"General Yen'fay." Chrom said as he stepped forward.

"Aye, that is my name." Yen'fay replied, mirroring the Exalt's actions. "What would you have of me, Ylissean?"

"I would like to ask why a famed swordmaster would sell his honor to Walhart." Chrom said back to him.

"That is not your concern." Yen'fay calmly replied.

"Are you truly your sister's brother?" Chrom asked with a hint of doubt in his voice. "Even knowing Walhart's strength, she has fought on valiantly. Are you so deluded to actually consider her your enemy? Or are you simply afraid of your master?"

"Afraid?" Yen'fay managed to let out a chuckle. "Yes, I suppose fear plays its part, I cannot deny."

"Then you admit it then?" Chrom accused. "You are craven!"

"I did not say it was fear for MY life." Yen'fay snorted. "That my reasons exist is not cause for me to explain them to strangers."

"If there is any honor left in you, say it now." Chrom demanded. "You could still join us…"

Yen'fay hesitated, as if seriously considering it for a moment. He looked around at all of his closest men.

"The bones have been thrown, lad." Yen'fay eventually sighed. "All that remains is to see where they fall."

"So be it then." Chrom nodded as he drew his Falchion. Yen'fay responded by drawing his Amatsu.

"Wait!" Say'ri exclaimed as she ran forward. "Sir Chrom! Please, let me be the one to take him down."

"Say'ri…" Yen'fay had a look of surprise on his face.

"Are you sure?" Chrom asked, but Say'ri nodded earnestly as she drew her killing edge. Chrom nodded, and put his sword away, he stepped backwards, rejoining the rest of the shepherds.

"Brother…" Say'ri turned and brandished her sword at him. "I won't ask you why… we are well beyond that point now. I will speak it plain: I can neither forgive you, nor let you live.

"I've asked nothing of you, sister. Least of all, forgiveness." Yen'fay retorted.

"But you will have justice, like it or not!" Say'ri exclaimed. "You who stood in silence while everyone suffered! While villages were razed and fields were burned, you watched but said nothing. When mother and father were murdered… you said nothing! Nothing before you ran into the arms of the man responsible for all of it! Your silence is maddening… and even now… you have nothing to say."

Yen'fay stared at her sister, but kept his mouth shut.

"Damn you, Yen'fay!" Say'ri exclaimed. "Then I shall make your sword answer for you!"

"None of you interfere." Yen'fay said towards his followers. "Remember what I told you at the beginning of the battle."

Say'ri charged her brother.

The sibling pair swung their respective swords around, parrying and striking at each other with precision. To an untrained eye, it seems as if they were both taking the fight extremely seriously.

Lucina however, felt that there was something wrong. Yen'fay was supposed to be a renowned swordmaster, and yet he was not going after the small openings in Say'ri's fighting. True, they were small openings, but they were openings nonetheless. If someone as young as her could see them, there was no way Yen'fay with all of his experience could miss them. She let out a gasp of surprise without even meaning to.

"So you've noticed it too then." Robin suddenly said from next to her. "I think Lon'qu and I have come to the same conclusion."

Lon'qu nodded from the other side of Robin.

"That swordmaster isn't even trying." he confirmed. "My style is originally from Chon'sin. I would not be anywhere near Yen'fay's level. There's no chance he doesn't see the openings he's been given. He's trying to throw the fight."

"How did you notice then?" Lucina asked Robin.

Robin shrugged. "I understand the theory behind using almost every weapon. The reason I am unable to wield most of them is due to the lack of experience in combat. It wouldn't be practical to learn every weapon after all. However, observing someone fight and understanding exactly what they SHOULD do is another story."

"I… see." Lucina murmured as she turned back towards the fight.

To the dismay of Yen'fay's followers, it seemed as if their leader was beaten back by his younger sister. After fighting for a few more minutes, Say'ri managed to knock Yen'fay's sword aside. She took the opportunity to run her killing edge through her brother's stomach.

Yen'fay grunted as he spat out some blood. "Go!" he roared. "Remember what I asked of you."

His closest followers wiped away the tears beginning to form in their eyes as they ran off, away from Demon's Ingle.

"Say'ri… you have grown… so strong." Yen'fay stammered towards his sister as he began to felt his strength leaving him.

"Do you mock me!?" Say'ri retorted. "I have seen your best swordplay, and that was not it! You went easy on me! But why!?"

Yen'fay let out a slight smile. "What I could not say to you in life… I say with my death."

"Yen'fay!?" Say'ri's eyes widened.

"You have found… strong comrades." Yen'fay managed to get out. "I no longer need… to fear for you… I can die in peace."

"Yen'fay!" Say'ri exclaimed. "What do you mean!? Don't leave me with more silence! Not this time! Yen'fay!"

However, the swordmaster's wounds were too severe. He died in his sister's arms.

Say'ri closed her brother's eyelids and stood up.

"Our victory is secured, and Yen'fay has fallen." she said grimly. "I will never understand why he joined Walhart… his reasons die with him."

However, a bright flash of light appeared and Excellus warped in next to the shepherds.

"YOU!" Chrom roared as he drew his Falchion.

"Ah, but what a death it was!" Excellus giggled, completely ignoring Chrom. "Did you see the grief etched onto his face? The mix of longing and pain in his eyes? He has become an accomplished actor, but that was all too real!"

"Excellus…" Say'ri gritted her teeth. "What would you know of my brother, you loathsome toad!?"

"More than you, it seems, princess of Chon'sin!" Excellus cackled. "And I would watch that pretty little mouth of yours… I am honoring Yen'fay's sacrifice by not killing you now… but even I have my limits."

"What do you mean by 'sacrifice'?" Say'ri demanded.

"Oopsie!" Excellus giggled. "Did I just spill the beans? I'm so sorry, but I promised your dear brother I would never tell…"

"Explain yourself, snake! Or die!" Say'ri raised her killing edge threateningly.

"Ha! As if YOU could harm ME!" Excellus scoffed. "YOU only live by MY grace, you ungrateful wretch. I could have killed you countless times, if not for him!"

"Explain what you mean!" Say'ri demanded.

"Oh?" Excellus smirked. "Did Yen'fay not groan out the truth as he got slashed into pieces? No, I suppose not. He was always the quiet, honorably type. And yet, he swallowed his pride and cast away his honor… all to protect his beloved kin." Excellus let out a laugh. "That's right! He did it… to save YOU!"

"What?" Say'ri's eyes went wide. "You're lying!"

"No, I'm telling you the truth, which I admit is a rare treat, so you best shut up and enjoy it." Excellus countered. "Before you met these Ylisseans, I could have had your head with a word. In Chon'sin… across the continent… at Valm harbor… did you really think yourself so elusive? You were my leverage for Yen'fay. Unwitting and unbound, but a hostage all the same. I let you live; he fought for us. That was our deal. And he kept his end, right TO the end!"

"No… NO!" Say'ri exclaimed, not wanting to believe what she was hearing.

Excellus pretended to wipe away some sweat from his brow. "Well I don't know about you, but I feel MUCH better after getting that off of my chest! Maybe I will resolve to telling the truth more often! Yes, I'll try to do so! In any case, goodbye friends! I wish you safe travels, and I'm so sorry about Yen'fay! Oops! I've broken by resolution twice already!"

Excellus giggled manically as he ported away.

"N-no… this can't be…" Say'ri whimpered as she fell to the ground on her knees. "Yen'fay…"

"Say'ri…" Chrom began.

"Naga… the things I said to him… the things I did…" Say'ri continued. "I have wronged him beyond imagining."

"I have some share of the blame." Chrom admitted. "I did say things that… were perhaps not appropriate during our exchange."

"If only he had spoken!" Say'ri exclaimed as she began to cry. "I could have joined the ruse! I…"

Say'ri continued to sob. "I have repaid his kindness with death! Oh Yen'fay! Please… forgive me… please…"

Robin felt a nudge from behind him. He turned around to see Nowi looking up at him with a pout on her face. "Go!" the Manakete whispered to him. With that, Nowi gave Robin a larger push, and he stumbled out of formation. Robin gave the Manakete one last frown, and Nowi winked back at him. However, Robin understood what Nowi was asking of him. He sighed and walked up to Say'ri. Almost no one saw Nowi's actions, however.

Say'ri suddenly felt two arms wrap around her into a hug from behind.

"You did all that you could." Robin comforted her. "Your brother knew that. You were blameless in this. Excellus and the empire are at fault here… and they will be made to answer for it, I promise you."

"Sir Robin…" Say'ri whispered, enjoying the embrace immensely. "Pray, forgive me. You have done so much for this land while I can offer nothing in return. Or worse… what little I thought I could offer ended up turning against us."

"WE'RE the resistance now." Robin smiled. "We've yet to lost a battle. Yen'fay would be proud, and he'd want us to fight on… to make his sacrifice worth something. And we will keep fighting, Say'ri, until this land is free."

"Aye, sir." Say'ri smiled and closed her eyes. "Thank you. I owe my life to you all… and to my brother. I swear to you.., and to him… that I will make the most of it."

Lucina looked on at them feeling one part sorrow at Say'ri's loss, and one part jealousy from Robin's actions. She snuck a look at Anna and found a similar expression plastered across her face as well. She let out a sigh. It wasn't as it Robin hadn't helped her in her times on need either. Robin was just being Robin after all.

Soon, the shepherds began to clean up the battlefield. Although the shepherds hadn't suffered any casualties, some of the soldiers standing guard outside on the side of the volcano did. Yen'fay's soldiers had approached the volcano from all sides, but the Ylissean and Feroxi soldiers were able to fight off the ones that had approached from their rear.

When everything was gathered up, they made their way down to the base of the volcano, where they decided to make camp for the evening. They were all tired from the battle, so marching a long distance was impractical. After all, even if the Valmese knew their location, there was no way for them to launch an attack. They had no other troops or organizations large enough in the area.

Once camp was set up, Robin met with Chrom, Say'ri and Frederick in the command tent. They were just about to continue discussing their plans for the war in the near future when one of the soldiers standing guard suddenly rushed in.

"Milords!" the soldier exclaimed frantically. "Khan Basilio! He's been killed in battle!"

"No!" Say'ri exclaimed.

"Damn it all!" Chrom gritted his teeth. "Are you certain?"

"I am." Flavia said as she walked into the tent herself. "I saw it with my own eyes. He's gone."

"Flavia! You're injured!" Chrom exclaimed. "Frederick! Fetch a healer at once!"

"I'll be fine… damn me!" Flavia said, even as Frederick rushed out of the tent. "Damn me for outliving that one eyed clod! That big, bald oaf! I'll kill him! I swear I'll cut that dastard Walhart down myself! I swear it before the gods!"

"Flavia…" Robin began. "For now, you need to rest and heal. When the time is right, we'll avenge Basilio. You have my word."

"Then I will hold you to it…" Flavia sighed. "But there's something else. Basilio asked me to give this to you…"

Flavia handed over the red gemstone, Gules over to Chrom. Chrom accepted it with shaky hands as he placed it onto the Fire Emblem on his shoulder.

"I… can feel a power resonating through my entire body…" Chrom gasped.

"It's Gules, one of the gemstones you need." Flavia sighed. "Don't ask me why the oaf hid it from you. He always did love his surprises, damn him."

"Whatever his reasons, I gladly accept his gift." Chrom nodded sullenly.

"It's hard to believe he's truly gone." Flavia sighed. "The larger the man, the larger the void left in his wake."

"And khan Basilio was a titan." Robin nodded. "There's no replacing him. But… his sacrifice will not be in vain. After all, we've defeated Yen'fay. Beating Walhart is in our near future!"

Suddenly, Frederick entered with Maribelle. The Valkyrie quickly tended to Flavia's wounds, while Frederick addressed the rest of them.

"The scouts have reported back." The Great Knight informed them. "Walhart's army has retreated to the imperial capital."

"Retreated!?" Say'ri exclaimed in shock.

"And the turncloak dynasts are withdrawing their soldiers as well." Frederick continued.

"I don't believe it…" Chrom whispered.

"For Steiger and Yen'fay have fallen." Robin noted. "It's no shock that Walhart will pull back to regroup. And perhaps the dynasts are beginning to see the cracks beginning to from in the empire as well."

"Maybe they'll reconsider who they will fight for?" Chrom suggested hopefully.

"Possibly." Say'ri nodded. "If they see an advantage in it for themselves. With them or not, it would seem a decisive battle will soon be upon us."

Chrom chuckled. "To think, how fast our fortunes seem to have shifted…"

"We have Basilio to thank for it. It's all become possible because of his sacrifice." Robin sighed. "If there only was another way…"

"No second guessing!" Flavia exclaimed, even as Maribelle was in the process of healing her. "Basilio would have hated that. You did your duty as best as you were able to, and he did his. Now clear that clever head of yours, because we're going to need it. The fate of Valm and all of our homelands… it rests upon the upcoming battle."

"For the sake of our fallen comrades and for the sake of history… we will bring this empire crashing down!" Chrom declared.

Robin nodded. "You're right. For tonight… we should let everyone rest and recuperate. However, starting tomorrow, we'll begin to make our way towards the capital."

Chrom nodded. "Yes, sounds like a plan to me."


	29. The Conqueror

**Author's Notes:**

**This is kind of a late post, referring to both the day of the week and the hour at which I am posting this chapter. Compared to the earlier chapters, my most recent chapters have all begun to become much longer. For example, this chapter, which isn't even the longest one, is about three times as many words as my first chapter in the story. As such, I've found that it requires a bit more time to write and proofread, meaning I won't be able to post as many chapters as frequently as when I first started. I'll try to get at least one chapter out per week though. Possibly more, if the chapters are a little shorter.**

**That's it for now, here is Chapter 29:**

**Command Tent, Shepherds' Camp…**

Things were becoming quiet in the command tent. Maribelle was still working on Flavia's wounds, and Frederick was still standing guard.

Seeing as the mood was still pretty heavy from the revelation that Basilio had died, Robin decided to try his best and do something about it.

"I've got something pretty suitable for this occasion." he said.

"And what might that be?" Chrom asked.

Robin pulled out his last bottle of Feroxi wine.

"This." he declared as he placed the bottle on the table.

"Wine?" Say'ri asked. "How could you be thinking about drinking at a time like this, Sir Robin?"

"No, it makes sense." Flavia actually managed to let out a chuckle. "In Regna Ferox, wine is reserved for sorrowful occasions. It's entirely appropriate at a time like this. What's more surprising to me is that Robin has some of the stuff in the first place. I didn't think he was a heavy drinker."

Chrom shrugged. "Works for me. I could use a drink or two right about now."

He turned towards Frederick. "Would you mind getting some glasses or cups from the kitchen? Glasses would be preferred, but we can use whatever we have."

Frederick bowed. "Of course, milord."

"Get one for yourself, and Maribelle as well!" Robin called after him as the Great Knight was about to leave the tent.

"Me?" Maribelle asked in surprise.

"Oh don't be like that." Chrom laughed. "I know for a fact that this won't be the first time that you have had wine."

"Besides, drinking is better when there are more people." Flavia said. "And I'm thinking we could all use a drink or two right about now. If nothing else, think of it as a personal thank you for tending to my wounds."

"All right," Maribelle conceded as she just getting finished with dressing Flavia's injuries. "I suppose I will join you all for a drink."

Soon, Frederick returned with glasses, surprisingly. Apparently, they did have some of them in case there was a reason for celebration, which made it pretty ironic. Robin used the bottle opener Frederick had also brought with him to take the cork out of the bottle. He began to pour the wine for everyone.

"This is pretty good." Flavia commented. "It's been a while since I've had Feroxi wine."

"It's a little different from Ylissean wine, but it still is magnificent." Maribelle agreed.

Chrom raised his glass. "In honor of Basilio." he declared.

"In honor of Basilio." Everyone parroted back.

There was only one bottle shared amongst the six of them, so it wasn't enough to get anyone severely drunk. However, there clearly was a difference in how much alcohol they could each have.

Robin and Flavia felt almost nothing. Flavia has had a lot of experience drinking, and so the wine didn't really have much of an effect on her. And although Robin doesn't drink too frequently, alcohol doesn't seem to have too large of an effect on him either. After all, he had downed an entire bottle of wine by himself before. One sixth of a bottle was nothing compared to that.

Chrom and Maribelle were taking the drink relatively well too. They've both been somewhat accustomed to drinking the stuff since they were both considered Ylissean nobility.

However, Say'ri and Frederick were a different story. Say'ri hadn't really had alcohol before, that, coupled with her smaller figure made the alcohol more difficult for her body to handle. She wasn't necessarily drunk, but she was feeling more than just a little buzzed. Frederick, on the other hand, was more of a surprise. It seems that although the Great Knight was a battle hardened veteran, drinking was NOT something he was an expert at.

"A Knight usually does not drink, in order to keep his wits sharp." Frederick told the rest of them when he was questioned. "I'm simply not used to it, is all."

As they drank, they talked about a few things. But considering the situation, no one really was in the mood to talk too much about anything in specific.

"This has been nice," Flavia admitted, after they poured out the last drop from the bottle. "But it IS getting late as well. We should go rest up for tomorrow. I'm sure there's a long day's march ahead."

Robin nodded. "Yes, you're right."

The six members inside the tent left and returned to their own tents for the night.

Robin slowly made his way towards his own tent. The flickering light from a campfire lit up the darkness just enough for him to make out where he was going. His mind was still racing with thoughts about the previous day, and thoughts about how they will be able to take on Walhart in the near future.

"Robin!" A voice called to him.

Robin turned towards the direction the voice had come from, he squinted, and made out a figure approaching him from the shadows.

Eventually, as the figure drew closer, some light from a nearby fire was able to illuminate her face.

"Anna?" Robin asked. "Did you need something?"

"I just needed to find something out." Anna said, as she crossed her arms. "You warned me before the battle that I needed to be careful. I will admit, I might not have taken your advice as seriously as I probably should have. But that still doesn't explain WHY you knew in the first place."

"Oh, so that's what this is about?" Robin chuckled. "Well I kind of already told you. I had a dream, a premonition… actually, I don't even know if I could call it that. It was a vision of something that happened during Lucina's timeline."

"Wait… a vision from Lucina's timeline?" Anna asked dubiously. "How is that even possible?"

"I'm not sure either." Robin shrugged. "I've been having some lucid dreams lately. In the dreams, there's been a figure that talks to me… he says that the memories of the Robin from her future are beginning to intertwine with my own. And so I get these visions once in a while. I happened to have one of the battle with Yen'fay's troops."

"And… what would have happened if you hadn't known?" Anna said. Her face darkened and her gaze was downcast.

"You… you would have been completely caught off guard by that Griffon Rider." Robin admitted. "In my vision, you fell and burned to death."

"I… see." Anna whispered, still not able to meet Robin's eyes with her own. "I guess that means you've saved my life then."

"I suppose, but I wouldn't think too much of it." Robin said. "That's what we're supposed to do for each other, right?"

"So I guess I also was a shepherd in the future then." Anna concluded. "Lucina said she had never heard of me, and I initially thought that that meant I had never met you all in the first place… but I guess if I died in the war against Valm, Lucina would still have been extremely young at the time, right? So in other words, I died before she was old enough to meet all of the shepherds and remember them."

"I think you might be right." Robin nodded.

"And that's what you were trying to say, right?" Anna continued. "That the river of time favors its original course?"

"Yes." Robin said solemnly. "I have a feeling that, like Emmeryn, even though we prevented your death here, there's a good chance that you may still die in the future. This means, I will need you to continue being extremely careful. We don't know for sure that it will happen, but based on our prior experiences, I'd say it's definitely possible."

"Got it." Anna nodded. "I'll be more careful."

Robin smiled. "Good. That would put my mind at ease."

"But I still don't understand." Anna said, finally allowing herself to look up at Robin's face. "How come your memories are mixing with the Robin's from the future? Isn't that Robin already dead?"

"That's what Lucina says." Robin nodded. "I still don't understand much about this whole time traveling thing, and I have had suspicions in the past that the Robin from the future is not actually dead, but in the end, I don't have any evidence to back up either conclusion. Given that we do not know exactly how things work, I wouldn't be able to rule out the possibility of inheriting a dead person's memories from the future."

"Then how come I haven't had any dreams or visions?" Anna asked. "And to the best of my knowledge, no one else had anything like that either. Come to think of it, wouldn't everyone in the world have that happen to them then?"

"I don't know." Robin grimaced. "It pains me to say it, but I really don't know. My guess is… maybe it has something to do with the fact that I lost my memories. That's the only thing really differentiating me with everyone else. But that's just it… that's just a theory. There's no evidence to back anything up. I'm just as clueless about this whole thing as anyone else. All I know is that these visions I keep having… they seem to have some truth behind them."

"Well, in any case..." Anna smiled up at the taller man. "I'm really glad you were looking out for me. Fighting under the command of someone like you… even though a soldier constantly risks their life on the battlefield, it feels as though I am perfectly safe with you as the leader. I think most of the other shepherds feel the same way."

"That's exactly what I strive for." Robin returned the smile. "And I will admit, it feels really good to hear someone say that to me once in a while."

"I'd be willing to say it to you every night if you wanted." Anna managed to say, even as she felt her face beginning to heat up. "If you don't mind, that is."

Robin didn't seem to understand what Anna was hinting at. Perhaps the alcohol was affecting him slightly at this point. "Yes, I'm sure I wouldn't." he casually said.

"Well, you're probably very tired." Anna giggled. "And I'd wager that most everyone is. So I'll stop bothering you for now and let you get some rest then."

She waved Robin goodbye and began to head over to her own tent. Robin watched her leave for a minute or so, before doing the exact same.

Robin found that he was indeed extremely exhausted. He dropped into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

**Hours later…**

Robin, once again, woke up from a nightmare.

"I swear… I've had that exact same dream before…" he muttered to himself. "It felt familiar somehow…"

The unusual part was that he was not visited by Grima in his sleep this time, so there wasn't anyone he could talk to in order to clarify things. He vaguely remembered fighting against a sorcerer with the help of Chrom. The details were kind of fuzzy, but he distinctly remembered defeating the sorcerer, only to turn around and kill Chrom.

"Another vision of the future?" Robin wondered to himself. "No, it couldn't be. Why would I voluntarily kill Chrom?"

He shook his head, trying to remember anything else in the dream. He tried to picture the location, the other people that might have been there, the face of the sorcerer…

That's when it struck him. The sorcerer was someone he had met before. It was someone he had FOUGHT against.

"Validar!" Robin exclaimed, gritting his teeth. What was Validar doing in his dream, and why was he fighting the Plegian king? There definitely was something wrong, but Robin couldn't place a finger on it.

Robin eventually shook his head. "Worrying about such things is pointless right now." he eventually told himself. "Even if we need to fight against Validar in the future, that's a problem for when we return home." he reasoned. "For now, we need to focus on defeating Walhart. Then and only then will we make arrangements for dealing with Validar."

He rubbed his face with his hands. There really was no need for him to try and fall back asleep anymore. He had slept enough.

Robin got up and reached for his cloak. The piece of clothing was a part of him now. Besides when he needed to wash it, there was almost never a time where Robin could be seen without it.

He made his way outside. It was still dark out, and aside from the assigned guards that kept watch at a few of the camps, there was no one outside.

Robin hastily went to one of the fire pits, and began to light one for himself. He slowly nursed the flame until it was large enough to sustain itself with the help of the larger pieces of firewood.

Feeling satisfied with the fire he had created, Robin sat back and pulled out a book. Like many nights before, he utilized the several hours he had before everyone else woke up to get some more reading done.

**The Next Morning…**

The news of Basilio's death spread quickly through camp. He was someone important to many of the soldiers and many of the shepherds as well, so the mood of everyone was not the greatest that morning. However, this only tightened the resolve of everyone to defeat the Valmese empire in honor of Basilio's sacrifice.

The plan for the day was pretty simple. The shepherds will simply march towards the Imperial Capital of Valm. Assuming everything goes as expected, there shouldn't be any resistance on the way there.

The shepherds had a quick breakfast, and cleared down camp. Everyone prepared themselves for the long day of marching ahead.

Lucina decided that she had to do something. Standing by and watching from the sidelines won't work, after all. If she wanted Robin to notice her, she will need to take a little bit of initiative. Yesterday had not been too enjoyable for her, after all. She watched Robin hug and comfort Say'ri when Yen'fay died, and according to some of the other shepherds, Robin had sought out Anna before the battle in order to have a private conversation with her. To Lucina, these things were slightly troubling, and more than enough to make her a little jealous. Even though she had also shared several moments like that with Robin, Lucina unconsciously felt possessive and, deep down, wanted to monopolize Robin's attention.

Lucina walked up to Robin as they were marching.

"Good morning, Robin!" she greeted him.

Robin took a moment to register her presence. "Hmm? Oh, good morning Lucina."

"Did you… have something on your mind?" Lucina asked out of concern. "I hope I wasn't bothering you at all."

"I guess you could say that." Robin admitted. "I'm trying to figure out how to go about fighting Walhart. Based on what Flavia told me, we'll probably be at a severe disadvantage in terms of equipment, and possibly even skill."

"You'll definitely figure something out." Lucina smiled.

"Oh?" Robin raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Well," Lucina brought an index finger to her lips as she looked towards the sky. "It's what happened in the future, right? Not only that, but you managed to lead the shepherds to victory against Walhart even with Father being incredibly injured. Compared to my timeline, things are a little better for us now, right? Father is still healthy, and I'm also here to help."

"You're right." Robin smiled at her as he scratched his neck. "If I could do it then, then I should be able to do it now, right? Especially since I have more resources this time."

"And besides…" Lucina continued. "Even if I didn't consider the events of the future, I'd still have absolute faith in you to pull something off."

"And why is that?" Robin asked.

"Because." Lucina responded. "In the future, you were considered a miracle worker. Against all odds, you'd be able to find a path to victory. When I was little, there were stories of you all throughout the castle. After all, you were to one to lead the shepherds and defeat Walhart without allowing the shepherds to suffer a single casualty. I believe in YOU, Robin. I know you're capable of beating him this time too."

Lucina meant for her words to be comforting, which was why she was a little puzzled at Robin's sullen expression.

"That's where you're wrong." Robin responded. "There WERE casualties among the shepherds."

"What?" Lucina asked, quite confused. "What do you mean? I'm pretty sure there wasn't any. The stories said that you defeated Walhart and kept all the shepherds alive."

"Anna." Robin responded. "She died in the future during the battle against Yen'fay. I got a vision of it during one of my dreams. And I can't really explain to you why, but I KNOW that it was definitely something that happened."

"Anna?" Lucina asked.

"You mentioned that she wasn't one of the shepherds at some point." Robin continued. "But I think that's because she died before you were old enough to understand. The Lucina in this timeline is only a few years old after all. You probably just never heard of her in the future. It actually kind of disappoints me that I let that happen."

"I… see." Lucina said, feeling fairly sullen herself. Maybe Robin did like and want Anna instead of her.

"However, I remember that you said that fate always tends to follow its original course." Robin conceded. "This might actually work to our advantage then. It's possible that we'll defeat Walhart simply because we defeated him in the future."

"Yes, you're right!" Lucina agreed, eager to talk about something that actually brings her hope. "I'm sure that's what will happen!"

"I know you might have been young at the time, but is there anything you know of, maybe from a story or something, of how I managed to defeat Walhart in your timeline?" Robin asked.

"No…" Lucina frowned. "I've only heard the stories of you defeating him. As for how you did it, no one really specified."

"That's too bad." Robin sighed. "I guess I was hoping for a little too much. But it's fine I suppose. I guess I just have to figure something out from scratch…"

"I KNOW you can do it." Lucina smiled up at Robin while she grabbed his arm with both of hers.

Robin was a little stunned. He blinked a couple times and redirected his gaze down to his arm. Lucina followed his gaze, and finally realized that she was clinging to the tactician's arm. Her cheeks began to heat up furiously as she withdrew her arms in a hurry.

"S-sorry!" Lucina stammered. "U-um… I'll go now." she gave him a small bow before running off to find her father.

"No, it's quite all right…" Robin muttered, although the princess probably didn't hear him. His lips curled up into a slight smile.

**With Sumia…**

Sumia was planning on picking her daughter's brain during the march today. Well, that HAD been her plan. However, things did not go quite as expected because Robin had monopolized her time.

Technically, it had been Lucina who had been monopolizing Robin's time, and for some strange reason, Sumia felt that she shouldn't interrupt them. After all, they could be talking about serious things, such as the upcoming battle with Walhart. In comparison, what Sumia had wanted to talk about has much lower priority after all.

She decided to wait. She joined in the conversation with some of the shepherds around her, and looked back at her daughter once in a while to see if she was done talking with Robin.

Sumia giggled internally when she saw how earnestly and how eagerly Lucina seemed to be, talking to Robin. Robin, on the other hand, seemed to have something on his mind and only partially paid attention to the future princess.

What shocked her was when she looked back at the two of them… and saw Lucina holding onto Robin's arm.

Sumia was pretty sure she was seeing things. She blinked a couple of times and rubbed her eyes. However, her eyes didn't seem to be deceiving her. Lucina… her daughter… was clutching onto the arm of Robin.

This, however, didn't last for very long. Lucina immediately let go of his arm, and seemed to be extremely embarrassed by it. She hastily ran away, presumably to go find Chrom.

'Hmm…' Sumia thought to herself. 'Maybe this is something we'll have to discuss in the near future…'

**Later that afternoon…**

The shepherds had just set up camp after a long day's march. Robin had a meeting with Chrom, Say'ri and Flavia earlier, and they discussed some more details based on the newly acquired information their scouts got them.

Afterwards, Olivia had come to him to report on all of the progress she had made. She found that it was easier than she expected to be able to combine sword fighting with combat with daggers. Also, she apparently asked Virion really nicely during their down times to show her how to shoot a bow. All she had to do was beg him with as cute of an expression as possible, and the archer instantly caved.

Although she could certainly still use some practice, she has at least got the fundamentals down after a few hours of practice.

Currently, Robin was sitting by himself, becoming completely lost in his own thoughts. He vaguely noticed Tiki come sit across the campfire pit from him. At first, it didn't bother him at all, but he could feel the Manakete's intense gaze on him.

Eventually, Tiki let out a sigh.

"Can I help you, Lady Tiki?" Robin asked finally. "You've been… well you've stared at me for quite a long time."

"Oh, I'm sorry Robin." Tiki replied. "Was I bothering you?"

"I was more worried that something might be bothering YOU." Robin responded.

"Well…" Tiki began. "It's just that you look remarkably like someone I used to know."

"Really?" Robin asked.

"Yes." Tiki nodded. "Specifically, a man named Marth. Many ages past, this was. He was wise, calm and fair, but possessed an inner strength as resilient as steel."

"Marth?" Robin asked in disbelief. "You mean the warrior king of legend?"

"The one and the same." Tiki confirmed. "I had the honor of calling King Marth a friend. So perhaps you can understand why I gazed upon you with nostalgia and… longing."

"Sorry, did you just say…" Robin shook his head. "Nevermind. If you're talking about THAT King Marth, isn't he a distant relative of Chrom? Wouldn't he look more like him than me?"

"Chrom may be closer related to Marth, but they are not alike." Tiki clarified. "Chrom is much more direct, and committed to what he believes is right. Chrom might more resemble a different ancestor, from the age I was born in. Another great man from 1000 years before Marth…"

"I… see." Robin nodded. "So when you say I resemble Marth, you aren't talking about my appearance."

"No." Tiki agreed. "I was talking about your soul. Your aura is extremely similar to that of the wise King Marth."

"That's very flattering, I guess." Robin smiled. "Thanks Lady Tiki."

"Oh, Mar-Mar, there's no need to call me 'Lady', just Tiki is fine." Tiki told him.

"Mar-Mar?" Robin asked.

"Ahh!" Tiki immediately began to blush furiously at her slip of the tongue, which, Robin had to admit, looked extremely cute. "Forgive me! I was in the habit of calling Marth by that name… it slipped out by mistake."

Tiki let out a sigh of exasperation. "Gracious, the resemblance is uncanny, it's making me forget what millenium it is!"

"I suppose there are worse people to be mistaken for." Robin chuckled.

"Still, I must insist that you call me Tiki." Tiki pressed. "It feels weird to have you call me 'Lady'. It would be similar to if Chrom referred to Say'ri or Flavia as 'Milady'."

"Really?" Robin looked at her dubiously. "I'm pretty sure that's not an equivalent comparison. But… if it makes you feel more comfortable, I shall resolve to do my best… Tiki."

Tiki gave Robin a heartwarming smile. "Thanks, Robin."

"Lady Tiki! Sir Robin!" The two of them turned to see Say'ri approaching them. "Dinner is ready. Shall we go eat?"

"Yes, that sounds fantastic." Robin said as he got up. Tiki followed his lead.

The three of them made their way towards the dining hall.

**One meal later...**

The dinner wasn't anything too fantastic, but it did the job of filling them up. As the sun began to set, and the day drew to a close, rain began to fall. It started with just a light drizzle, but eventually grew to become an extremely heavy downpour. Fortunately, the ground they set their camp up on was extremely resilient to downpours. The falling water began to collect itself and began to flow towards the various rivers and tributaries throughout the area, leaving the ground relatively dry, despite the intense rainfall.

Many of the shepherds elected to simply return to their tents for the night. There wasn't much more they're able to do. The rain made it impossible for them to have a campfire. However, there were some that decided to say in the dining hall to converse, or play cards.

Robin and Lucina both went back to their own tents. Robin didn't mind, because it meant he had plenty of time to read and plan for the following day. And Lucina did so because she still didn't feel comfortable enough to just casually sit and converse with the the other shepherds in the dining hall.

"Why did I do that?" Lucina muttered as she rubbed her cheeks. She was sitting on top of her bedroll. "I grabbed his arm without thinking. Oh Naga… I've never been more embarrassed! And his reaction… I'm pretty sure that's not a good sign…"

Lucina let out a quiet whine. "Why is this so difficult? Why does it feel like this is becoming more and more of a hopeless cause with every day?"

Suddenly, she heard a noise from just outside her tent.

"Lucina?" a female voice asked. "May I come in?"

"Mother?" Lucina responded in surprise. "Y-yes, come in."

Sumia unzipped the tent flap from the outside and stepped in. She closed her umbrella.

"Whew!" Sumia wiped her brow. "It sure is raining hard outside tonight!"

"Y-yeah." Lucina agreed. "Did you need something, mother?"

"Yeah… well, no." Sumia said, after thinking about it. "I just wanted to have a talk with you."

"Oh? And what shall we talk about?" Lucina asked.

"Lucina…" Sumia asked. "Do you feel comfortable talking to me?"

"Yes." Lucina said without hesitation. "You're my mother after all. There's little I wouldn't be able to talk to you about."

"Good. It makes me happy to hear you say that." Sumia smiled. "So then, there's something I need to ask you, and I hope you'll give me an honest answer."

"Of course." Lucina returned the gesture. "I'll do my best."

'She's probably going to ask me about Father in the future or something.' Lucina thought to herself. 'I just need to give an answer to the best of my ability.'

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Sumia asked.

"Eh… what?" Lucina asked. She didn't think she heard her right.

"You know what a boyfriend is." Sumia stated. "I just want to know if you have one."

Lucina blushed furiously, as she was completely caught off guard.

"Aha! So you DO have one then?" Sumia concluded. "Is it one of the boys you came back from the future with?"

"No, mother, I DON'T." Lucina protested. "I don't have anyone like that."

"Really?" Sumia asked. "Then why were you so embarrassed?'

Sumia gasped in understanding. "So there's someone you LIKE then."

Lucina fidgeted around nervously from on top of her bedroll. Her blush never faded. Sumia took this as a sign of confirmation from her.

"Don't worry, you can tell me." Sumia told her. "And I'm a little curious as well. What sort of man is my daughter interested in?"

Lucina frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. Although this was something her friends knew, and even though the Sumia of the future had an inkling of it, for some reason, she felt extremely nervous about admitting it to her mother from this timeline. Perhaps it's because Robin was still alive here, after all.

"If you're not willing to tell me, would it be fine for me to take a guess?" Sumia asked.

Lucina slowly nodded. That's a little less stressful for her.

"You have to tell me if I'm right, OK?" Sumia half demanded. "Is it Robin?"

Lucina's eyes went wide and her face managed to somehow turn even redder, giving Sumia the only answer she needed.

"Yes…" Lucina finally admitted. "I… I really like Robin. But that's because when I was little, he spent so much time with me when you and Father were busy. He was so nice to me… cooking for me, playing with me, reading to me… he even carved a wooden Falchion for me to play with… Over time, I began to develop a crush for him. And when I returned to this timeline, it was a feeling that only grew stronger."

"D'aww…. That's so cute." Sumia giggled. "I'm happy that my daughter had someone like that in her life I guess."

"H-how?" Lucina asked. "How did you know?"

"Oh, I noticed you grabbing onto his arm earlier today." Sumia giggled. "And so, that's why I chose to guess him. Besides, there's not many other people I think I COULD guess."

"That was an accident!" Lucina protested. "I didn't even mean to grab his arm!"

"Yes, but it would never have happened, even by accident, if you didn't see Robin in that way." Sumia winked. "Don't worry about it, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Robin's a fantastic man, after all. I wholeheartedly approve."

"You're not mad?" Lucina asked. "Robin is Father's… and your friend."

"True, it would be considered extremely awkward normally, but the thing is, even though you're our daughter, you are about the same age as us." Sumia told her. "I don't think there is anything wrong with liking someone around your age, especially if that someone is Robin. He's quite a catch after all."

"Except… he'll probably never see me that way." Lucina said dejected. "He's probably more into someone like Anna."

"You never know!" Sumia comforted her. "How will you find out if you never talk to him about it? Even if he doesn't feel the same way about you, I'm sure he'll try his best to make sure he doesn't hurt your feelings too much. And who knows, maybe he feels the same way."

"But he probably doesn't!" Lucina exclaimed.

"Then is it better to just wait and do nothing?" Sumia asked. "And what if he isn't strictly against you? What if he's indifferent, but because you express your interest in him, he'll begin to notice you more BECAUSE of that?"

Lucina paused to think about that. It wasn't something that had occurred to her before.

"And…" Sumia continued. "We ARE at war right now. Even though things happened one way during your timeline, there could always be changes. None of our lives are guaranteed. If you, or Robin for that matter, were to die in the upcoming battle against Walhart, wouldn't you feel miserable about not ever telling him how you truly felt about him?"

Lucina sat there in silence, because she had nothing to say. She could only think and reflect upon her mother's words.

Sumia got up and prepared to leave. "Still, I'm very glad I came to talk. If he is someone you intend to pursue, I'll gladly support your choice. And I think Chrom would feel the same way." Sumia giggled. "He'll be surprised at first, but I'm sure he'll come around once the idea settles in."

"Please!" Lucina begged. "Don't tell Father! Not yet… at least."

Sumia winked at her daughter. "All right, I promise."

"Oooh! This is so exciting!" Lucina heard her mumble as she exited the tent. "This feels like something straight out of a romance novel!"

With that, the Dark Flier left the tent, and left Lucina alone to reflect upon the conversation they just had.

She eventually fell asleep with a lot on her mind.

**Meanwhile, with Robin…**

Robin was busy studying the map that Chrom was able to get of the Imperial Capital. In order to be successful in the upcoming battle, he'll need to be as informed as he could possibly be. The lives of the rest of the shepherds were in his hands, after all.

Usually, there weren't many people that looked for him while he was in his tent. Most people take that as a sign that he didn't want to be disturbed. Robin didn't explicitly say that, but he did admit that most of the time, this was indeed the case.

However, there was a tap at his tent this evening, despite the heavy rain.

"Who is it?" Robin called.

"It is I, Say'ri." A female voice replied. "Prithee, may I enter?"

"Yeah, sure." Robin said in surprise.

Say'ri soon was inside the tent. She noticed what Robin was working on.

"Please, have a seat." Robin gestured to his bedroll. Unlike the rest of the shepherds, Robin had a table and chair inside his tent, which made it a lot more convenient for him to study or make battle plans. He'd offer Say'ri the chair, but that would make it impossible for him to study the map. Whatever Say'ri wanted, it shouldn't take too long, right?

"Would it… really be all right for me to sit here?" Say'ri asked dubiously.

"Yeah, it's no problem." Robin replied. "There's no reason for you to stand, after all."

"That is most gracious of you." Say'ri smiled, and accepted the invitation.

"So what brings you here tonight?" Robin asked.

"Well… I was worried." Say'ri admitted. "Aye, we've made it quite far in this campaign, but Walhart is a whole 'nother beast. The thought of fighting his personal forces… well it's been keeping me up in the nights."

Robin looked at her, and she indeed have an extremely worried expression on her face, and he could see a couple light bags underneath her eyes.

"We'll do it." Robin comforted her. "We'll accomplish what others deem impossible. I'll make sure it happens."

"Aye, I believe in you, Sir Robin." Say'ri let out a melancholic smile. "But… still, I feel as if my worries are completely rational."

Robin sighed and got up. He made his way around Say'ri, and knelt down behind her. Say'ri tried to turn her head, but Robin placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You really have been stressing yourself out too much lately." Robin noted as he began to lightly rub her shoulders. "Your muscles are all knotted up."

"Sir Robin, there is no need for that!" Say'ri protested. "After all, you must be just as tired as the rest of us!"

Robin laughed in response. "You carry the burden of your entire homeland. In comparison, I have little to worry about. I just plan the strategies for our battles, and the rest is up to Frederick and Chrom. And I'm sure even they are doing fine. They both have a warm bed to return to, after all."

Robin continued to rub her shoulders as he spoke. At first, Say'ri winced in pain, but soon, it became extremely relaxing for her. Although she felt comfortable, Say'ri couldn't help but let out a sigh at what Robin had also reminded her of.

"Sir Robin…" Say'ri began. "Might I be able to ask you a question?"

"Sure." Robin nodded.

"I'll just say it directly." Say'ri told him. "Is there a woman you're interested in?"

Robin momentarily stopped moving his hands in surprise, but he quickly recovered. "Why, Say'ri, I didn't think you were the type to be into gossip." he smirked. "Nowi, Maribelle, even Sumia maybe, but not you!"

"You mistake me, Sir Robin." Say'ri shook her head. "I had no intention of spreading such delicate information among the others. It was strictly due to personal interest."

"I… see." Robin slowly responded, beginning to suspect Say'ri's true intentions. "Well, yes. There is."

"And that woman…" Say'ri continued. "Prithee, answer me honestly… she is not me, is she?"

Robin sighed, his suspicions becoming true.

"No. She is not." he finally said. "Although… I suppose you are flattering me with your thoughts and intentions."

"Fie!" Say'ri let out a sullen sigh. "I understand that I couldn't possibly be that fortunate. However, even though the result is not what I want, it still feels good to know… in a way."

"Sorry…" Robin said sheepishly. "I-"

"Nay, Sir Robin, don't say that." Say'ri shook her head. "Don't say anything. I completely understand. We haven't known each other for very long, after all. However, I am morbidly curious… This woman… could she happen to be among the shepherds?"

Robin narrowed his eyes. "...Yeah. She is." he finally responded.

Say'ri let out a sigh of relief. "Then I am satisfied."

"And what do you mean by that?" Robin chuckled nervously.

Say'ri reached her hands up and pushed away Robin's hands from her shoulders. She turned to look him in the eye.

"I understand that I have no place in your heart, Sir Robin." she told him seriously. "However, this is something I must say. Whoever it may be that you're into… I will respect them, regardless of my feelings towards you. However… if something does not or can not work out between the two of you, know that you will always have a place and be welcome in MY heart."

Say'ri leaned in and kissed Robin on the cheek.

Robin blinked twice, but was otherwise speechless.

Say'ri pulled back and wiped away a tear beginning to form in her eye. "Sorry, Sir Robin. It seems I've distracted you quite enough. I will be taking my leave now."

She got up and picked her umbrella up from the floor. "And thank you. Thank for you the shoulder rub, but more importantly, thank you for giving me hope. From this moment on, I will do my best to treat our friendship as strictly platonic."

Say'ri gave Robin one last melancholic smile before she exited the tent.

Robin knelt there dumbfounded for yet another moment. Finally, he slowly touched the area that Say'ri's lips had contacted his face with his fingers. A wistful smile formed on Robin's face.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." he muttered to himself. "I know this wouldn't be what you want, but I honestly hope it doesn't come to that."

He shook his head to clear it. "Refocus, Robin. You have an important role to fill tomorrow."

It was only after she left Robin's tent before Say'ri finally allowed tears to freely fall off her face. They mingled with the raindrops, and even if someone were to chance upon her, they wouldn't be able to tell she were crying in the dim light of the moon.

"Even though there may be still a sliver of hope… it's better if I assume that my chances are gone." Say'ri murmured to herself. "However… I don't regret for a second what I did."

She slowly made her way back to her own tent and retired for the evening.

**The Next Morning…**

The shepherds got up feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Today will be the day they reach the Imperial capital, and possibly take down Walhart. After a hearty breakfast, they tore down camp once again and began to march.

Lucina had thought about the conversation she had the previous night with her mother. However, she still didn't have the courage to be able to talk to Robin about it.

'I'll tell him after we defeat Walhart…' Lucina thought to herself. 'Maybe… maybe I'll be able to work up the courage by then.'

Soon, the Shepherds continued to march towards the northwest. There wasn't quite as much conversation, and the mood was a little more serious. A great battle was about to unfold after all.

Soon, the Imperial Capital came into view. The shepherds, surprisingly, were able to approach the gates without too much resistance.

"Where is his army?" Chrom asked.

"No sign of them yet, milord." Frederick responded immediately.

"Hmm…." Robin looked slightly puzzled.

"I don't like it." Flavia stated. "They could be buying time."

"For what?" Lissa asked. "Do they even need to do that? Why not just take us on directly?"

"Maybe there's something going on that we don't know about…" Robin muttered.

**Meanwhile…**

Cervantes watched as the Ylisseans approached from inside the Imperial Capital with glee.

"The fools have no idea what they've just stepped into!" he cackled happily.

"Mmm… the anticipation before a battle… My hairs stand on end!" Cervantes exclaimed. "Every one of them! Makes it difficult to brush, I must say… But today's struggle will set the course of history once and for all."

"Today's 'struggle', Cervantes?" Excellus asked. "I think you mean today's SLAUGHTER."

"That's the spirit, tactician!" Cervantes laughed.

"What? No!" Cervantes exclaimed in surprise. The chubby eunuch let out a sigh of exasperation. "I JUST finished explaining this to you! What is wrong with your ears? The Resistance will destroy itself… and you and I have no need to even lift a single finger. The Ylisseans probably think that the Dynasts no longer fear us… But what they don't understand is just how… persuasive my methods can be. They'll know once they see their former friends with their knives to their backs!"

"Chives and flapjacks, you say?" Cervantes asked. "Why, yes. I could go for some. It's important to be well nourished before a battle after all."

"This battle was won before it was even started!" Excellus continued, ignoring the mustached General. "And we have no need to risk for any further casualties! Brilliant, if I do say so myself. And really, no one is really capable of judging. So, General Cervantes? Tea? I have a stash of gray root blend here… simply divine!"

"Why Excellus, thank you!" Cervantes exclaimed. "It is quite a divine 'stache, isn't it? Eh wot!"

"You imbecile!" Excellus exclaimed angrily. "Stash! The tea! Oh… why do I even bother… If only there were someone with the intellect to appreciate my talents…"

As the two were in the middle of conversing, a large man in crimson red armor walked up to them.

"Cervantes." The man demanded.

"Y-yes, master Walhart!" Cervantes hastily bowed.

"Who is the pinnacle of man, in body, mind and spirit?" Walhart asked. "Who is greater than the gods?"

"Only you, my master!" Cervantes quickly replied.

"Why Excellus, that seems to contradict your last statement." Walhart glared at his tactician. "What say you?"

"M-master!" Excellus stammered. "I assure you, I meant no offense! I only celebrate achievements in your service, master. To your glory."

"Glory is won on the battlefield!" Walhart informed him. "Glory is meeting your opponent's eyes and watching the hope drain away from them along with their life. Glory is not won by being holed up in a castle with cowardly plots and schemes. And I'll be dead before I let some dynast farmer take today's glory in my stead!"

"Oh, why yes, of course!" Excellus nervously laughed. "And so well put, my master! I only meant that…"

However, Walhart ignored him and didn't let Excellus finish. He turned around and headed for the stables.

"That sick mind of yours sees much, Excellus. That much is certain." Cervantes conceded. "But for someone so clever, you can really be quite daft."

"What!?" Excellus exclaimed. "You DARE speak to me like some child!? Like you EQUAL!?"

Cervantes let out a hearty laugh. "Your equal? No, fear not. I would never think of you as my equal, worm. Now if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make before the battle."

"Broom face twit!" Excellus muttered to himself at Cervantes's retreating figure. "To hell with you! To both of you!"

The round sage sighed to himself. "Now, Excellus, keep your wits about you. They're all you have, after all… besides good looks that is. Let Walhart charge ahead… that big stupid lobster! I'll end up on the winning side one way or another!"

He cackled to himself as he scurried away.

**Outside…**

"Look!" Lissa exclaimed, pointing at a new group of mounted fighters that walked out of the gates leading up to the capital.

"That's him, isn't it?" Chrom asked. "Walhart… brave of him to face us."

"Brave?" Say'ri asked. "Aye… but it's more likely he just wants to enjoy himself."

"Remember what we talked about!" Robin called to everyone. "As expected, Walhart's forces are mostly mounted. Those of you given one of the Beastslayers, make sure to use them to the best of your ability."

Fortunately, Anna was able to get her hands on some of these lances that are especially designed for combating against horses. Robin was hoping that this would help tip the battle in their favor.

"Those of you with heavier armor, we'll need you more than ever before to hold the frontline." Robin continued. "Fortunately, Walhart's forces seem particularly vulnerable to magical attacks, but our mages can only cast them as long as they're safe. We can take our time advancing towards the castle."

The shepherds advanced towards Walhart in a phalanx formation. A pair of Paladins charged them, but they were easily blocked by Sully and Kellam. Stahl and Frederick collapsed on them from their sides, and killed them with their newly acquired Beastslayers.

"Wow, these things are great!" Stahl remarked. "Makes me glad I'm not on the receiving end!"

A pair of Generals attempted to flank them from their sides. However, Tharja and Henry burnt the one on their right flank from the inside out with their dark magic. On the other side, Miriel successfully casted a perfect Bolganone spell, killing the General with her intense fire magic.

"Call in reinforcements!" the shepherds heard Walhart roar from the other side. "Let the calvary rain upon them like a blizzard of swords!"

"That's not good." Chrom muttered.

"Maybe he's bluffing." Robin smirked.

"Bluffing?" Say'ri asked. "Nay. I wager he has many soldiers still lying in wait."

"One can hope." Robin shrugged. "Now stay alert everyone. They're coming."

A wave of Great Knights began to crash into them. Fortunately, the shepherds' heavily armored units were able to hold the line. The mages fired spell after spell at the Great Knights. Although heavily armored, these soldiers were not well equipped to handle the beating from magical attacks. One after another, the Great Knights fell at the magic of the Ylissean mages.

Robin glanced towards their far left and right flanks. The soldiers located in these two locations were lead by mostly elected officers as well as Flavia. Their job was to simply not get completely decimated, and so far, they were doing a fairly good job. All they had to do was survive the onslaught, and await for Robin and the shepherds to claim victory by defeating Walhart. At least, that was their plan.

Suddenly, Frederick led out a cry of pain. An enemy Dark Knight had hit him with a Rexcalibur spell. Robin instantly dashed forward, out of formation. Out of the corner of his eye, Robin saw Lissa rushing forward to heal their injured Great Knight. With his mind at ease, Robin charged the Dark Knight and slashed him apart with his scythe. Just like with Pheros, the Dark Knight did not realize that magical attacks were ineffective against him until it was too late.

However, because Robin was out of formation, a swarm of Valmese Wyvern Lords zoned in on him and went for the kill.

"Sir Robin!" Say'ri exclaimed in alarm. The tactician either didn't notice his approaching enemies or didn't care. Say'ri was concerned it was the former.

However, the Wyvern Lords were unable to land a finger on him. One by one, they were blasted out of the air by a few well aimed spells or arrows. Only one of them even got close to him, but Chrom had rushed out of formation to block the attack. Shortly after, the Wyvern Lord was cut down by Lucina's Parallel Falchion.

The rest of the shepherds hastily advanced to encompass the three of them once again.

"More soldiers are coming out from the forts to our flanks!" Robin exclaimed. "Everyone be careful! Fend off any and all attacks as we continue to approach Walhart!"

The shepherds slowly continued to advance.

"Ahh!" Ricken cried out in pain. The short sage had an arrow protruding from his arm, presumably fired from their flank.

"Ricken!" Maribelle exclaimed as she quickly rode over. "Let me take a look at that wound."

"They seem to have archers!" Robin called out as he attempted to locate them on his Hekseer.

"I'll take care of them!" Lon'qu offered immediately. "Just point me in the right direction!"

"Over there!" Robin pointed towards a couple of forts to their right. "Take Gaius with you, and be careful!"

The two nodded and immediately ran out of their formation. As the shepherds continued to advance and fight off their attackers, Robin glanced at their indicators on his Hekseer on occasion. Soon, he saw that the red markers that used to indicate where the opponent's archers' locations had disappeared, and the two familiar blue icons were slowing making their way back towards them.

"It seems they succeeded." Robin said with satisfaction.

"Are we actually winning?" Lissa asked in surprise. "I thought they were supposed to be impossible to beat!"

"They're much stronger, that much is certain." Frederick grunted as he blocked the axe of yet another assailant. "However, we have something that they do not."

"And what might that be?" Lissa asked.

"We fight as a single unit." Robin answered her as he fired a spell at a Wyvern flying overhead. "As a team. Walhart's soldiers may be stronger than most of us in a one on one, but they only are able to get in a single attack or two before the rest of us utterly destroy them. They are using human wave tactics, and charging us, more or less, one at a time. Their soldiers receive no outside support."

"But why?" Lucina asked even as she slashed out her sword towards an enemy Great Knight.

"Arrogance, probably." Robin responded. "My best guess is… they've never needed to win using clever strategies or ingenious planning. All they had to do was charge their enemy head on, and they would defeat any foe. Fortunately, that plays directly into our hands. Their plan won't work on us, but ours should be able to work on THEM."

"Right!" Chrom agreed. "We'll show him that a battle is not won on an individual's prowess alone!"

And the shepherds did indeed have a superior strategy. Even if the Valmese soldiers attempted to fight as a unit, they were being thrown into disarray by the various spells, arrows and breath attacks being thrown at them. Even the most disciplined of soldiers were finding it hard to just sit there and dodge attack after attack. Eventually, they all decided to take their chances and fight the Ylisseans head on.

The best chances for Walhart's forces were the Dark Knights. They had the great mobility of their famed calvary, yet they struck the shepherds' frontline extremely hard with their magic attacks.

However, Robin quickly realized this, and instructed the shepherds to focus this class of enemy soldier down first. If no one was able to do it, he'd rush out and kill them himself.

Suddenly, a large wave of Wyvern Lords crashed into the shepherds' formation, forcing Cherche, Cordelia, and even Nowi and Tiki into direct combat in order to attempt to fight them off.

"Shoot them down!" Robin quickly ordered. Virion and Gaius shot arrow after arrow at the enemy fliers. Some of them completely missed while others barely wounded the heavily armored beasts. Still, others struck true, and either hit a crucial part of the wyvern or killed the rider directly.

"Olivia, you too!" Robin commanded.

"Right!" the pinkette responded.

'Okay, Olivia. Remember what Robin told you before the battle started.' she thought to himself. 'Remember… you don't have to actually kill the wyverns to deal damage. If you can shoot down the rider, it is just as good. And even if you can't… just firing arrows at them means they'll be distracted and won't be able to fight the others as effectively.'

Olivia aimed her bow at some of the Wyvern Lords. She continually aimed and fired at them. Although Olivia didn't shoot down a single wyvern, she did manage to hit a couple of the riders, though none of them were fatally wounded. However, these wounded riders meant easy kills for the bloodthirsty Cherche and Cordelia.

And it was not only arrows that the enemy wyverns needed to worry about. Ricken and Maribelle launched devastating blasts of wind magic at them, shredding the wings of some of the wyverns and causing them to fall towards the ground.

Even the mages that did not specialize in wind magic did significant damage to the Wyvern Lords. They were equipped to fight against opponents that fought with metal weapons after all.

However, what the Wyvern Lords DID do was cause enough pressure elsewhere in order to put more stress on the shepherds' frontline.

"They is getting fiercer!" Donnel exclaimed in alarm as he defended himself against an enemy Great Knight.

"Oi! Mage friends are busy, yes?" Gregor responded. "We must hold on until they are less busy dealing with the flying lizards!"

"They're not getting any stronger Donnel." Frederick confirmed. "We're just not able to defeat them quite as fast with less support from the others. This is proof that Walhart's men are indeed strong. Likely stronger than us at least."

Robin immediately noticed this issue as well.

"Miriel, Tharja, Henry and Anna. You all focus on the land units. Leave the fliers to the others." Robin immediately instructed. "I'll focus on them as well."

They nodded, and began to aim their spells towards the Valmese calvary instead of towards the air. This shift in priority allowed for the shepherds to stabilize the situation.

"Hold on just a little longer, we're almost to Walhart!" Chrom exclaimed.

"Easier said than done!" Vaike roared back. "We're doing everything to not get run over by the lot of them!"

"It'll get better once we clear the skies." Robin told them. "Then we can direct our focus back towards the ground. The rest of our soldiers are doing their best to delay the rest of Walhart's soldiers, so we have to make their sacrifice worth it!"

Robin was able to keep his promise. There were a lot of Wyvern Lords, but they were not endless. Things got a little tricky when Cordelia got grazed on the arm by one of their silver axes, but it only took a minute or two for Lissa to patch her up. Under the heavy bombardment of arrows and magic, the skies soon became clear.

The shepherds, for a brief moment, were stuck in place so that they could defend themselves from the Valmese troops that rushed them from almost every side. However, as soon as they defeated the Wyvern Lords, they resumed advancing towards Walhart and his best men.

When they drew near, Walhart gave a signal and he began to ride towards the shepherds.

Although Robin didn't exactly like this, Chrom broke out of their formation and met Walhart. He blocked Walhart's initial strike with his sword, but was pushed back several meters due to the momentum from Walhart's warhorse.

"Why do you resist me, little prince?" Walhart demanded.

"You enslave the weak and kill the able." Chrom retorted. "You are the enemy of peace."

"I would end the reign of the gods, and you object on moral grounds?" Walhart replied. "Blood is spilled in any new birth. And in many a just cause, as you probably know."

"There is no justification for what you've done." Chrom replied as he swung his Falchion back around at Walhart.

Walhart easily blocked the strike. "By whose laws do you judge me? Yours? Your sister's? The gods?"

He applied pressure to his weapon and knocked away Chrom's sword. "Look at you! Are you not ashamed? Your mind is filled with nothing but secondhand beliefs. You dance upon the stage of your gods like a mindless puppet! THAT is what I reject: being a slave to tradition, to obligation. The old ways. Damn the gods! Damn their fates and their destinies! I will have true freedom! And man who offers less is my enemy."

"Enough!" Chrom made a slashing motion with his arm that did not carry Falchion. "I don't require every detail of your twisted philosophy. You're a villain, plain and simple. And I am the justice you deserve."

"Much better, prince!" Walhart laughed. "Be not an agent of someone else, but justice itself! Now, let us fight as two great men, freed of their gods. I grant any challenger the chance to test his will against my own… But you too, shall be found wanting!"

Walhart was broken out of his blissful feeling by a bolt of Thoron that flew near his head. Although he dodged it, the Conqueror was visibly startled.

"That's where you're wrong." Robin told him. "Unlike you, Chrom has not abandoned everyone else in this world. While your men may fight for you, there are precious few that would be truly your ally. While you fight alone, Chrom fights alongside his allies."

Walhart barely had time to begin a retort before he was forced to block a strike from Say'ri's killing edge.

"Princess of Chon'sin?" Walhart looked at her. "It's a wonder you're still alive. But no matter, you are a mere pebble on my way to immortality, and you shall die now unlike before."

He knocked away Say'ri's sword, and prepared to bring his own down on her.

However, he didn't get the chance. Sumia launched an Arcwind spell at him, causing Walhart to lose his balance for a brief moment. This gave Say'ri the time to escape from his weapon's path.

Walhart looked up at the Dark Flier. The Falicorn that she was riding let out a loud cry, almost as if it recognized Walhart.

"What!?" Walhart's eyes bulged. "That Falicorn… could it be?"

He pointed his sword at Sumia. "What is the name of your mount?" he demanded. "Where did you find her?"

"That's not your concern!" Chrom exclaimed as he rushed Walhart again.

By this point, the rest of Walhart's most trusted men had arrived, and the other shepherds rushed to meet them. Like before, it seems that Walhart's men all fought as individuals rather as a unit, which allowed for the shepherds to work together and kill them off one by one.

Alone, Walhart may have been the strongest fighter in all of the continent. However, even he was no match against the three combined efforts of Chrom, Say'ri and Robin. Still, he managed to hold the three of them off for a long duration all by himself, which was a testament to his strength.

However, Robin eventually hit a lucky Thoron spell, and knocked the Conqueror back. Walhart looked up and spat out blood. Chrom and Say'ri charged him again, and Walhart countered their strikes. However, his strength was beginning to get sapped from the wound. Though Chrom and Say'ri didn't seem to be able to penetrate Walhart's special armor, the Conqueror could no longer push the two around as he pleased.

Robin joined the fray again and pulled out his scythe. When Walhart tried to block Robin's strike, the Ylissean tactician was able to knock Walhart's Sol away and out of his hands.

Weaponless, Walhart was beginning to feel much less confident. He didn't expect to struggle at all, so he didn't even bring a spare one, never mind his favorite axe.

"H-how!?" Walhart demanded. "This isn't supposed to be happening."

"We already told you." Chrom stood in front of him. "You fight alone, and so you will die alone."

The three of them charged the weaponless Walhart and prepared to kill him. However, they were intercepted by a few of Walhart's Paladins.

"Emperor Walhart! Please retreat!" they begged. "We'll secure your escape route. We believe that you'll be able to recover and turn the tides!"

Walhart gritted his teeth, clearly not enthusiastic about the proposal. However, he was not a foolish man, and realized when the fight was lost. Walhart turned around and left the battlefield for what seems like the very first time in his life.

"Get… out… of… our… way!" Robin demanded as he fought his new enemies. He was able to kill the Paladin, but by the time his opponent died, Walhart was already past the gates and about to enter the castle.

"Damn!" Chrom exclaimed in frustration.

"Worry about him later!" Say'ri told them. "He can't go anywhere. Let us first remove all of his troops from this battle."

"Right." Robin turned to help the rest of the shepherds. Immediately, he noticed Lucina struggling against a Valmese General. The problem was that she could not make a dent in the General's armor, but her opponent's clumsy axe also couldn't seem to catch her either.

Robin endeavored to end this awkward stalemate by piercing the General through the chest with a Thoron spell.

Lucina turned to his direction and wiped her brow. She gave him a heartwarming smile in appreciation.

Robin smiled back and gave her a thumbs up before raising his scythe again and running towards the other Valmese soldiers.

The Valmese clearly had much lower morale once Walhart had been forced to retreat. However, they knew that they simply did not have that luxury. While Walhart would be able to recuperate and rally the troops inside the castle, each of them knew that retreat meant execution. Walhart himself had made that extremely clear, especially when he beheaded a few of the deserters he had caught in front of the rest of his soldiers. Instead, they steeled themselves and prepared to take down as many of their opponents as possible.

Unfortunately for them, not a single one of the shepherds were killed. Once Robin was not occupied with fighting Walhart, he began to direct the shepherds once again, making it almost impossible for the Valmese soldiers to kill anyone. They didn't have a leader to guide their swords, after all. They put up a valiant effort, but everyone was eventually wiped out.

Once the fighting was over, the shepherds gathered back together.

"Walhart has retreated back inside the capitol!" Say'ri lamented. "Fie! Will this war never end?"

"His men gave up their lives to secure his retreat." Chrom noted. "They won't lay down arms until he does."

"Then we must pursue to ensure that the deed is done." Lucina suggested.

"We are all tired out." Robin noted. "Although it will allow Walhart to rally his troops again, we should lay siege to the fortress, at least for a few hours so we can rest. The troops inside will not be tired in the slightest, while we had to spend the past few hours giving it our all."

"Sir Robin makes a good point." Say'ri conceded, "Although it looks like we may not have that luxury."

There is a loud sound of thundering hooves and shouts of excitement. The shepherds turned around to find that a massive group of people appeared behind them.

"Damn!" Chrom gritted his teeth. "We're surrounded! The Dynasts ride against us!"

"Hold sir... " Say'ri raised her hand. "Look! This… this boggles the mind."

"Do you recognize them?" Chrom asked.

"Aye sir." Say'ri nodded. "They're from the southlands. States that betrayed us for the empire… or so I had thought."

"Well, their allegiance seems pretty clear now." Robin smirked.

"I can hardly believe it…" Say'ri said, almost moved to tears. "Theirs are the land my brother commanded. Finally, now they come to answer the call?"

"Finally is right." Robin nodded. "It took a lot of hard work to get here, Say'ri. A lot of sacrifice. From you, from your brother, from Basilio. Don't forget this moment."

"Aye, sir." Say'ri closed her eyes. "Aye."

"We should meet with them." Chrom said.

"Yes. They can help us with the encirclement of the capital." Robin agreed. "Then we'll storm inside after we tend to our injuries and get some rest. And as well as some food."

"They day is not over yet." Chrom said. "We'll defeat Walhart by nightfall."

He raised his fist into the air and the shepherds gave out a loud cheer. Their morale was unbelievably high at this moment.

**Olivia:**

**Class Change: Assassin**


	30. The Sword or the Knee

**Author's Notes:**

**Finally, the final battle of the Valmese campaign! But, the end of the chapter may not be what you're expecting. **

**With this chapter, this story reaches over 200k words. To be completely honest, this story is longer than what I had initially expected, but I do not think that's necessarily a bad thing. Thank you to everyone that's been reading. I know I'm not a professional writer, and the support certainly makes me feel good on the inside. If you haven't yet, please feel free to leave a review so that I can know if you're enjoying my story.**

**A bit of a shorter chapter this time, at least compared to the more recent chapters. However, you can certainly expect the next chapter to be a good one. Once again, it is another late night post. However, I found it necessary to keep writing until I finished the chapter. I ended up getting a little carried away and lost track of time. **

**In the meantime, here is chapter 30:**

**Valm Castle…**

"Th-they… There must be at least a hundred thousand soldiers out there!" Excellus exclaimed in a panic. "Would they dare!? Is it… is it possible that it was Yen'fay they feared all along, and not me?"

"Hmph." Walhart grunted as his wounds were being treated. "Without him to back you up, your threat was only the grand shadow of a tiny spider."

"Tiny spider, is it?" Excellus asked, his voice dripping with anger. "Well this spider has woven other webs in secret that even you can't-"

"You mean how you blackmailed Yen'fay to keep his loyalty?" Walhart interrupted. "Or perhaps your correspondence with that Plegian woman… Aversa was it? Yes, I know you have designs for the Fire Emblem… you have no secrets from me, worm."

"B-b-but… I don't… I-if you knew… then… why?" Excellus stammered, completely dumbstruck.

"Why haven't I killed you then?" Walhart chuckled. "I've wondered the exact same thing, several times, in fact. But you're of no threat to me. And, I will admit, you do have your uses. I'm not one for court jesters, but you do amuse me."

"Amuse you?" Excellus asked. "I AMUSE you, like a jester!? Are you AMUSED now!? With a million swords at your door, coming for your head? You've lost, LOST! And you're going to DIE! ALL OF YOU! But not me. I want no part of this suicide!"

Excellus prepared to storm off. At least, that's how he envisioned it would go after he said his part.

Walhart's eyes bulged and an extremely intimidating expression appeared on his face. "Why Excellus, did you just VOLUNTEER to lead my personal guard against the rebels? How GENEROUS of you!"

"What!?" Excellus protested. "No! That's preposterous!"

"Unless you'd rather fight me, right here, right now." Walhart roared as he stood up and picked up his axe.

"Mercy! Mercy!" Excellus immediately fell to his knees in front of him. "F-forgive me, my master! It was but a moment's madness… it will not return, I assure you!"

"Then it's settled: we have a new captain of the guard." Walhart scoffed at him as he turned to leave. "Congratulations, captain. You'll be right at my side until the fray is upon us."

When the Conqueror finally left, Excellus was left panting on the ground in fear.

"Do give our guests a warm welcome, snake." Cervantes chuckled as he endeavored to follow Walhart. "Perhaps offer them some of your tea? My equal…" the General let out a hearty laugh. "Pah!"

When they both left, Excellus gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Those imbeciles! They forget who I am! I could have fried them both where they stood with my magic! We will crush these rebels.., we MUST crush these rebels! Or maybe… if Walhart is sufficiently injured, I might 'amuse' him with a spell!" Excellus began to giggle. "Either way… this spider crawls out alive!"

**Around Valm Castle…**

Cordelia was currently making some lunch for the shepherds. It was her shift in the kitchen after all. Unfortunately, they didn't really have an opportunity to go shop for fresh ingredients, so she had to work with what they had with them, which turned out to me mostly dried or preserved food. What's more, Robin instructed her to make something light, so that they won't be sluggish from digestion when they do invade the castle.

She sighed, and began to pick out some ingredients to use from the storage caravan. She finally decided on what she was making and carried the ingredients back to the kitchen in the dining hall. It was one of the few tents they had set up; they weren't camping for the night after all. As soon as she made sure she had everything, she began to cook.

Moments later, the kitchen door opened, and Sumia walked in.

"Cordelia!" The Dark Flier exclaimed. "I knew I'd find you here!"

"Your intuition must be pretty good." Cordelia joked with a straight face, not even bothering to look up from her work.

"Hardly." Sumia giggled. "I just asked around, and apparently it was your turn to cook, so I thought I'd check here."

"And did you need something?" Cordelia asked as she finished slicing a loaf of bread, allowing herself to finally look up at her friend.

"Well, I have something to tell you that you might find interesting." Sumia said as she placed both her hands behind her back. "Remember what you asked me to find out? Well, I have the results."

This immediately sparked Cordelia's attention. "Oh? And what did she say!?"

"You'll never believe this." Sumia giggled. "She has a crush on Robin! ROBIN! And from the looks of it, it seems pretty bad too!"

Cordelia's eyes went wide, and a smile began to slowly form on her lips. "That's wonderful!" Cordelia exclaimed, as she rushed over and grasped Sumia by her shoulders. "That's just fantastic!"

"Um… is there a particular reason?" Sumia asked, quite perplexed by her friend's reaction.

"U-um… well," Cordelia laughed sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head. "All right, I'll tell you, but if anyone asks, you didn't hear it from me."

Sumia gave Cordelia a curious look. "Sure. My lips are sealed."

"Robin has a crush on Lucina as well." Cordelia whispered to her. "Gaius and the others got it out of him."

"Wh-what!?" Sumia squeaked. "R-really?"

"Yeah!" Cordelia nodded. "So if Lucina is into him as well, that would be perfect!"

"Ohh…." Sumia practically swooned. "This IS just like a romance novel! Robin… the great tactician who never found true love… gets the ice in his heart melted by the princess that time travels from the future in order to save the past… who happens to share deep feelings for him as well… yes I can already see the story that the bards will write about them!"

"Take it easy." Cordelia chuckled. "We wouldn't want you to faint before such a historic moment."

"And I already nudged Lucina in the right direction then!" Sumia realized. "Ooh… this will be good!"

"Calm down." Cordelia said more seriously. "I'm quite excited as well, but we should really only do something after we defeat Walhart. They both play an important role in our success. It wouldn't do us good to distract them before such an important battle."

"Yes, yes, you're right." Sumia admitted. "All right then, I'm really glad we had this talk. I'll let you finish the cooking then."

Sumia waved her friend goodbye and left the kitchen, squealing in delight.

"Right, finish cooking." Cordelia muttered to herself. "I'll tell Gaius about it after the battle as well. Maybe he'll be able to push Robin into making a move."

**Meanwhile…**

Robin was currently resting in his tent. The initial battle against Walhart took a lot of energy out of him. He knew for a fact that if they charged the castle immediately, they would have extremely poor results, assuming he was the one giving the commands. And so, he elected to take a short nap in order to help him recover faster. Although the shepherds hadn't set up too many tents, they did have some for them to use in order to have a shady place to rest. Technically, it wasn't HIS tent, per se, but most of the shepherds didn't bother him because they knew how important it was for Robin to be well rested. And so, Robin essentially had the tent to himself.

His plans to fall asleep was delayed when there was a tap on the entrance of the tent.

"Robin?" The voice of Lucina called from outside. "Could I… can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Robin sat up from his bedroll. "Come in."

Lucina lifted the flap and entered.

"I'm sorry, were you sleeping?" The future princess asked sheepishly. "Sorry for disturbing you."

"No, it's all right." Robin smiled. "I wasn't actually asleep anyways."

"Well, it's just… I was wondering if we could have a talk…" Lucina began.

"Well, sure." Robin blinked a few times. "Isn't that what we're doing right now?"

"Th-that's not what I meant!" Lucina shook her head as a shade of pink began to creep across her cheeks. "I meant… could we have a private conversation after we beat Walhart?"

"Sure…" Robin replied slowly as he furrowed his eyebrows. "What would it be about?"

"Um…." Lucina mumbled. "I just need to ask you something… something important. But after the battle, is that fine?"

"Yeah." Robin nodded. "All right, no problem."

"Promise?" Lucina asked with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah." Robin nodded again. "Promise."

The tactician let out a chuckle. "It must be something really important then. I suppose I'll look forward to it."

"All right, I'll hold you accountable to that." Lucina bowed in order to attempt to hide her deepening blush. "I should leave. You need some rest before we storm Valm Castle."

"Sure." Robin replied. "I'll talk with you more after the battle then."

Lucina turned around and left Robin's tent.

"What was that about?" Robin wondered to himself once he was alone again. Shrugging, he decided to not put too much thought into it and rested his head back down on his pillow. They didn't have too much time left, so he had to milk the opportunity and have a good rest.

Outside the tent, Lucina felt her heart beat twice as fast as usual. 'All right, you've already set yourself up with an opportunity.' she told herself mentally. 'That wasn't too bad, was it? All you've got to do now is to confess your feelings to him after the battle. No matter what his response is, telling him how I feel is the right thing to do."

She let out a sigh. "If I'm lucky, maybe he'll even agree to let me be his girlfriend… But regardless, that's something for after defeating Walhart. If anything, it's some extra motivation to make it through the battle.'

Lucina squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her hands on her cheeks. "Just thinking about it is making me so nervous!" she complained. "I never lack the courage to fight against the Risen, so why is this whole thing so troublesome for me?" she shook her head in frustration.

"That's something for future Lucina to worry about." She finally muttered to herself. "No need to worry about that right now." Sighing, she slowly walked towards the dining hall. It was almost time to eat, after all. It's a shame that Robin was skipping this meal, because Lucina would have loved to be able to sit next to him.

**A Few Hours Later…**

After the shepherds had rested enough, Chrom and Robin decided to make a move. The shepherds would enter the castle and lead the charge. There will be some soldiers that follow after their lead, while the rest of them will help the dynasts continue their siege, so that Walhart and his men cannot run away.

Following the plan, the shepherds were the first to make their way into Castle Valm.

Chrom squinted as soon as they entered the main hall of the castle.

"I think I see Walhart." The Exalt muttered. "He's sitting on his throne. It doesn't seem like he's thinking about escape."

"And his soldiers…" Robin noted. "They look ready to die before they surrender. One must admire their loyalty, at least."

"He does inspire that in people." Chrom conceded. "It's part of what makes him so dangerous… if only we had the inspiration he's capable of working on OUR side…"

"Well, he inspires SOME people." Robin chuckled.

"Yes." Chrom chuckled. "In some people, but not me."

"Shepherds!" Robin declared. "Remember what we discussed! Let us march forward and unseat the Conqueror!"

The Shepherds roared in agreement. They raised their weapons and charged the Valmese Imperial Guard.

They were met by a pair of Valmese Heroes and a pair of Valmese Warriors. Kellam, Frederick, Stahl and Sully led the charge, carving a path for their allies. They each engaged one of the Valmese, allowing for their ranged friends to target the preoccupied enemies.

"There are some Generals trying to flank us from the hallways to our sides." Robin informed the rest of them. "Vaike and Lon'qu, protect our left flank. Gregor and Donnel, protect our right. But that won't be enough to defeat them, so all mages be prepared to cast your spells towards them as well."

The shepherds shifted to follow Robin's instructions. True to their tactician's words, the four fighters were unable to do much against the heavy armor of the Valmese Generals. Only Vaike was able to make a dent in their opponent's armor. However, they didn't need to do much. All they did was serve as a distraction for Miriel, Ricken, Maribelle, Tharja and Henry while they began channeling their spells. Unfortunately for the Valmese Generals, while their armor provided adequate protection against metal based weapons, it did very little against magical attacks. Soon, the four Generals all fell, having been killed by the magic from inside their suits of armor.

As the shepherds marched forward, they were met by another wall of Valmese Generals. They were lead by someone rather familiar.

"Let's have it then, rebellious scum!" Cervantes roared as he swung his Tomahawk around. "Like a flimsy belt around the waist of defeat, you shall buckle here!"

"Cervantes!" Say'ri exclaimed. "You died at the Mila Tree!"

"You are mistaken then, harlot." Cervantes replied. "For I am still alive. I can't say the same for your group in a moment, however."

"Enough." Chrom drew his Falchion. "Clearly we didn't finish the job. So we shall correct that mistake, right here, right now."

The shepherds once again began to clash with some Valmese Generals.

"Get used to it." Robin told the rest of them. "Walhart has a lot of Armored Knights, and the only effective way to kill them is by using magic. All mages prioritize these enemies as your primary targets."

The shepherd's own armored units charged to meet the Valmese Generals. Besides having to fight each other in hand to hand combat, both sides were also bombarded with ranged attacks from their respective backlines. The only difference was, while the Valmese had Snipers to back them up, the shepherds had mages, and so the difference was night and day. The Valmese Generals fell one by one under the concentrated fire of the Ylissean mages, while the shepherds' frontline simply shrugged off the arrows being shot at them due to their heavy armor.

"Gaius, Olivia! Now's your chance!" Robin exclaimed as an opening was formed when some of the Valmese Generals fell. The two of them dashed past the sluggish armored soldiers and ran straight for the four Valmese Snipers.

They weren't able to react in time.

Gaius dodged an arrow and dashed in close to the first Sniper, slitting his opponent's throat so fast that his dagger did not get a single drop of blood on it. It took his target's neck a second to realize that it had been cut, before blood began to pour out. The Sniper fell with a gurgle as blood flew out from his throat.

Gaius quickly brought his dagger up to his mouth. He bit down on the blade in order to free up both of his hands. The Assassin then drew his killer bow and shot a second Sniper. His second target had turned to take aim at him, but did not react quickly enough. The arrow shot by Gaius hit his target right between the eyes, killing him instantly.

Gaius put away his bow and sheathed his dagger. "Like taking candy from a baby!" he chuckled as he turned to see how Olivia was doing.

The pinkette had some time by now to refine her own style. She twirled and spun around the Valmese Generals, dodging the Sniper's arrows at the same time. Once she got close to a Sniper, she delicately moved around her opponent and killed him with two quick slashes of her killing edge. Immediately, she drew a dagger with her off hand and flung it towards the fourth Sniper just as he was loading another arrow into his bow. The flying knife struck her target in the chest, causing the last Sniper to cry out in pain. Olivia immediately tumbled towards this man and killed him with a final slash. Satisfied, she pulled out her dagger and wiped off the blood before resheathing it.

Once the enemy bowmen were killed, it became safer for Cherche and Cordelia to fly past the Valmese. Cherche picked up Olivia and Cordelia did the same for her fiance. They then flew them back behind their armored units, into friendly territory.

Cervantes was proving himself to be quite an admirable General. He was able to keep Chrom, Say'ri and Lucina on the defensive, all at the same time. However, he wasn't able to score a hit on any of them either. Unlike the shepherds, he no longer had ranged units supporting him from the back. Cervantes took two spells directly, a Rexcalibur from Ricken and an Arcthunder from Sumia, and finally fell.

"I am finished…" he breathed as he felt himself about to die. "But I have no regrets… for I die in the shadow of greatness!"

The shepherds ignored him after he died, and proceeded to advance after they had slaughtered the Valmese soldiers.

They took a moment to allow their staff users to patch up some of the minor wounds they received during the last skirmish before making their way up the next set of stairs and onto the next group of Valmese soldiers.

"More of them?" Vaike complained as more Generals charged them.

"Nya ha! They have some Heroes as well, though." Henry laughed. "And some Sages too! Maybe this won't be as dull."

"Those Sages can be dangerous." Robin told them seriously. "Archers, prioritize them."

The melee fighters among the shepherds engaged the Valmese Generals once again. Virion, Gaius and Olivia all took aim at the multiple Sages as they began to channel some spells. While they were able to shoot a few of them, there were still some Valmese Sages that survived the initial round of arrows. They managed to get their spells off, and the shepherds' frontline took some significant damage for the first time in this battle.

"Lissa, Libra, Maribelle! We need you to work on those injuries as soon as you can!" Robin commanded. "Lon'qu, Say'ri, we need you to help kill those Sages! All other fighters, try to fill in the gaps while our healers tend to them."

As he finished, Robin drew his scythe and took a spot in the frontline. His slashes were unable to deal too much damage to the armored Valmese Generals, but when he had enough space, he would generate magical blades of energy and fling them towards his opponents, which saw much more success.

Lon'qu and Say'ri dashed past their opponents and began to engage the enemy Sages. The pair was simply too fast for the Valmese to hit with their spells, and soon closed the distance. Lon'qu quickly slashed down his first target and ran towards his second.

Say'ri, on the other hand, recognized one of the Valmese Sages and directly made her way towards him.

"You… YOU!" Excellus exclaimed as he saw Say'ri rushing towards him. He immediately cast a Bolganone spell at the Swordmistress. "You and Yen'fay cost me EVERYTHING!"

Say'ri dashed to the side, causing the spell to miss her… for the most part. Her right sleeve was singed, but otherwise she ended up perfectly fine.

"Everything?" Say'ri asked in response. "You cost me Yen'fay! And I will make you answer for your crimes!"

She ran towards the round eunuch, brandishing her killing edge. Excellus raised his hand to cast another spell, but a dark purple blade of energy flew through the air and knocked away his red tome.

'Sir Robin!?' Say'ri thought to herself, not daring to look back.

"Go, Say'ri!" she heard Robin call out, confirming her suspicions. Robin was currently busy fighting a Valmese General, but saw Say'ri out of the corner of his eye. Instead of pressing an advantage that he earned, he had used his opportunity to ensure Say'ri's success instead.

Say'ri slashed upwards and to the right, causing Excellus to shriek out in pain. "Help me!" the Sage cried out in pain.

Say'ri was about to stab her opponent in the stomach, but had to jump backwards as a Bolganone spell and a Rexcalibur spell decimated the patch of ground she had been standing upon just a moment ago.

"My wounds…." Excellus panted as he looked at the blood on his hands. "My perfect figure! You've ruined it all!"

Excellus snarled. "Fuck the consequences! I'll die if I stay here any longer! Walhart can't do anything worse to me anyways!"

With that, he channeled a teleportation spell as Say'ri once again began to charge him once again.

"This won't be the last time you hear of me!" Excellus cried as he ported away just before Say'ri's blade was able to reach him.

"You insufferable toad!" Say'ri cried out in anger. She had been unable to kill him and had allowed him to get away. Shaking her head, Say'ri turned back and ran towards the shepherds instead.

Under the coordination of Robin, the teamwork between the shepherds proved to be too much for the Valmese to handle. The shepherds prioritized the Valmese soldiers that could harm the shepherds the most, and worked alongside each other.

This was different from the Valmese soldiers. Although they all were on the same side and had a common goal, their coordination was not very high. They all worked towards their goal as individuals, instead of working as a single unit. As a result, they weren't able to target the same opponents, which meant that more often than not, they were only able to wound and not kill the shepherds. This was perfectly fine for the shepherds, because they had an abundance of healers that could tend to any of these smaller wounds.

Soon, the soldiers led by Excellus were all killed.

"We're almost to Walhart!" Chrom exclaimed. "Very soon, this war will be over, and we'll be able to return to Ylisse victorious!"

This caused the shepherds to let out a cheer.

"What happened to Excellus?" Robin asked, scanning the dead bodies of the Valmese. "I can't seem to find him. You did kill him, didn't you?"

"Nay." Say'ri shook her head. "Sorry, Sir Robin, but I only wounded him. I wasn't able to kill him because some of his soldiers interfered with our fight. He managed to escape before I could close in on him again."

"That's a little bit unsettling." Robin admitted. "Did he run towards the direction of Walhart?"

"Nay." Say'ri replied once again. "He used that spell, and vanished into thin air. I wouldn't be surprised if that worm is running away from the castle, and fleeing for another continent as we speak."

"That's very unfortunate." Robin sighed. "But Excellus is not the main enemy right now."

Robin placed a hand on Say'ri's shoulder. "We'll kill him some other time. We'll get revenge for Yen'fay, I promise you."

"I give you my thanks, Sir Robin." Say'ri smiled.

"For now, let us continue towards Walhart." Robin pointed towards the top of the next staircase, where Walhart was waiting upon his throne. The shepherds let out another cheer, and they began to move towards the Conqueror once again.

Once they finally reached the top, they were greeted by Walhart's personal guard. These were the elite among the elite of the Valmese empire, and were the hand picked troops by Walhart himself.

"Walhart!" Chrom called out to him.

"Prince!" Walhart retorted.

"Will you surrender?" Chrom asked. He knew the chances were slim, but even still, there could still be a chance. They wouldn't need to risk any casualties if Walhart was willing to do so. He is a powerful man, and even though victory was so close, it still is possible for Walhart to take down a shepherd or two with him.

"Don't waste my time with questions you know the answers to." Walhart sneered.

"It didn't have to be this way." Chrom sighed as he shook his head. "You believed in mankind's strength… and so did my sister. You believe that we're the masters of our own destinies, and so do I. You could have joined with us."

"ME!? JOIN YOU?" Walhart laughed. "Does a pegasus join with a flea on its back? A dragon with the cow that it eats? You forget your place, BOY! I am the Conqueror, and I will unite the world!"

As he finished saying this, Walhart got up off his throne. He picked up his Wolf Berg and got on his warhorse, which had been waiting patiently next to the throne. Walhart saddled up and prepared to fight against the shepherds once again.

"No." Chrom shook his head. "I will." he gestured to the rest of the shepherds. "WE will. And we will not do it by forcing people to choose between the sword or the knee. Peace will only come by stoking people's hearts… not their fear."

"You think that's what you've done?" Walhart retorted. "Look at your sister! She shouted some nonsense and leapt off a rock! Such weakness!"

Robin could feel the shepherd's anger at Walhart's last remark. They were all itching to fight against the Conqueror's guards by now.

"You're wrong." Chrom told Walhart. "That wasn't weakness… that was strength. That one act lives on… in the memory of those that saw her… in the stories of the bards… in the books of history. It WILL live on, longer than the results of any of your conquests!"

"And longer than you will, I suppose." Walhart raised his axe, challenging Chrom. "Come then, flea. Come die for your peace!"

Walhart charged Chrom.

"Shepherds! You all know the drill by now." Robin called. "I'm going to help Chrom stand his ground against Walhart. The rest of you engage in his Imperial Guard! Remember to not take any unnecessary risks!"

The shepherds spread out and began to fight the final group of Valmese. Robin drew his scythe and joined Chrom's side, as did Say'ri and Lucina. Even though they had four of them to deal with Walhart instead of just the three from earlier, the fight was still about even. This was possibly due to the fact that Walhart had more on the line now than he did before, which was reflected in his fighting. Furthermore, he was no longer stuck with a sword that felt awkward to his touch. Walhart was fighting using his Wolf Berg now. There was no one on the continent that could beat him while he had his favorite axe with him.

Even though Chrom. Robin, Lucina and Say'ri were all extremely experienced fighters, the four of them put together could only keep even with the Conqueror as he went on his rampage. In fact, at some times it almost seemed as if they were losing.

There was a moment where Walhart almost overpowered the four of them. However, he was interrupted by an Arcthunder spell, which brought the skirmish back to a standstill.

Sumia's Falicorn let out a loud whinny as Sumia launched the spell towards Walhart.

"YOU!?" Walhart pointed his axe at Sumia. "I know that falicorn. I'm sure of it! I will kill you all and reclaim it for Valm!"

"Quiet, you Imperial pig!" Say'ri exclaimed as she swung her sword at Walhart again, forcing the Conqueror to refocus his attention towards the four he had been fighting. "You're opponents are down here!"

The four of them continued to struggle against Walhart as he held them all off.

However, the fight as a whole was actually favoring the shepherds. The problem for Walhart and his men were that they were extremely outnumbered by this point. Even though Walhart could fight against four shepherds at once and hold his ground, not all of his men could do the same. Slowly but surely, his Royal Guard fell one by one under the teamwork of the shepherds, until only the Conqueror was left standing. The shepherds slowly began to encircle Walhart.

"You should have surrendered." Chrom told Walhart as they locked weapons. "You're no Conqueror. You are just power hungry. All you want is for others to submit to you. You've cast away your humanity, and so we shall cast you aside as well."

"We'll see about that." Walhart's eyes bulged. "Maybe I have lost. Maybe my conquest ends here. But I'll make sure I take a couple of you maggots with me!"

Walhart pushed Chrom away and roared. He swung his axe around at an unbelievable speed as the adrenaline in his blood fueled him. Chrom was caught off guard and hastily tried to block the swing with his Falchion. However, he wasn't fast enough, and Walhart managed to knock the Exalt's sword away. Falchion flew from Chrom's hands, and clattered onto the ground a good few meters away. Chrom was knocked aside and fell down.

"What!?" Chrom breathed in disbelief.

"It seems your end is nigh, prince!" Walhart grinned triumphantly. He raised his axe and was about to bring it down on the unarmed Chrom.

"Chrom!" Sumia exclaimed in fright.

"No! Father!" Lucina shouted.

"Milord!" Frederick rushed forward in an attempt to help his liege, but he was simply too far away to react in time.

However, someone much closer to Chrom acted instead. Robin dashed forward at an almost inhuman speed and stood over Chrom's fallen body. He raised his scythe horizontally and attempted to block the Conqueror's strike.

Even though Robin's magical capabilities were unrivaled, his physical ones were nothing too out of the ordinary. There was simply no way for him to compete against Walhart in terms of sheer strength alone.

Robin cried out in pain as Walhart's Wolf Berg pushed his scythe down and bit into his shoulder. Had he not reduced the impact of the blow with his scythe, Robin guessed that his shoulder would have been chopped clean off. The wound still hurt and was nothing to scoff at, but at least his limb remained attached to his body.

"Tch." Walhart scoffed. "That blow was meant for your precious Exalt, but since you're so EAGER to die, I suppose I'll let you take his place."

Walhart lifted his axe back up and swung it again, this time horizontally. Robin expected Walhart to go for his neck, and got ready to block the strike accordingly. However, Walhart surprised Robin by instead swinging at his midsection. Wolf Berg connected with Robin's body, tearing him from his right hip to the top of his left pectoral muscle. The impact of the blow caused Robin's body to fly a few meters away. His limp body fell to the ground. He didn't move.

"No…" Cordelia covered her mouth in shock.

"Bubbles! No you can't leave us yet!" Gaius cried out in shock.

"Don't just stand there Libra!" Tharja yelled. "Go help him!"

"ROBIN!" Lucina roared. She began to feel so angry that she charged Walhart, completely disregarding logic or reason.

She was not alone. Say'ri and Anna also did the exact same thing.

A moment of shock passed, as many of the shepherds were unsure of what to do. However, they eventually regained their senses and charged Walhart as well.

Chrom got up and rushed over to Robin's side.

"Robin? Robin!" The Exalt lifted his best friend's head and supported his back. "Please, get up! This can't be happening!"

Libra, Maribelle and Lissa also rushed over to try and heal him.

"We'll try our best, milord." Libra sighed. "But this wound… by the looks of it, it looks like it might be fatal."

"Don't say that!" Maribelle slapped him, with tears beginning to form in her own eyes. "The three of us are our best healers! We can definitely bring him back."

The three of them began to desperately work on healing Robin's wound.

Meanwhile, the rest of the shepherds dogpiled Walhart. Although the man was strong, he could do nothing against the onslaught of most of the shepherds. While he was busy trying to fight off the angry swarm of shepherds from the ground, Cherche swooped in and Minerva knocked Walhart off his horse with a swing of her tail. Once Walhart fell off, Vaike, Gregor, Kellam and Donnel dove onto him, pinning him on the ground. They each took one of Walhart's limbs, and made sure he could not move a muscle.

Frederick dismounted, and along with some help from Stahl, pried Wolf Berg away from Walhart's grasp. The Conqueror could do nothing but hurl insults at his opponents, which the shepherds largely ignored.

Lucina, seeing as Walhart had been immobilized, immediately ran over to check on Robin. She was quickly followed by both Anna and Say'ri.

"Robin?" Lucina immediately knelt down next to her fallen crush, and held onto his hand with both of hers. Tears were beginning to fall down her cheeks. "Please! You can heal him, right?"

Libra sighed and shook his head. "The three of us have been trying to, but it seems our staves are ineffective. Although he technically is still alive, he won't live for much longer."

Anna and Say'ri rushed over just in time to hear Libra say this. Say'ri's eyes went wide as she fell to her knees, dumbstruck. Anna covered her mouth and whispered "Oh Naga, oh Naga…" over and over again.

Lucina looked over at Libra with tear streaked eyes. She grasped Libra's collar forcefully. "You're lying! You have to be! This isn't something for you to joke about!"

Libra closed his eyes and sighed once again. "I'm sorry, milady. I wish it were but a jest, but truly, there is nothing else we can do for him."

Lucina's angry expression quickly faded, and was replaced with a look of hopelessness. She looked at Maribelle and her aunt Lissa and found that both of them were bawling their eyes out.

"No… this can't be happening…" Lucina whimpered. "This has to be a nightmare… this wasn't supposed to happen…"

Besides the four that were restraining Walhart, the rest of the shepherds made it over. News of what had happened spread quickly, and the mood of the shepherds quickly fell. They no longer felt like they had just defeated the Valmese empire. In fact, it felt as if they had just lost everything.

"No…" Chrom wrapped his hands around his head. "This is all my fault… if I hadn't let my guard down…"

Robin's breathing was becoming more and more shallow. It was clear that he was unable to hold on for much longer. Lucina couldn't bear to watch anymore, and got up. She immediately stormed off down one of Castle Valm's hallways, crying. No one tried to stop her.


	31. Rebirth

**Author's Notes:**

**Well here it is: One of the most important chapters, if not THE most important chapter in the story. Quite a lot is revealed in this chapter, so take your time to digest things. I've spent quite a lot of time thinking about how I should write this chapter, and definitely spent more time drafting it than the other chapters. I hope it doesn't disappoint.**

**With that, enjoy chapter 31:**

**Castle Valm…**

Lucina ran through the hallways of the castle. She didn't pay attention to where she was going, she only cared about getting as far away as possible as she could. She also disregarded the possibility that there might be Valmese soldiers still hiding within the castle to ambush her. She turned right, left, then right again, without realizing any of it. Finally she found herself at the end of a hallway with nowhere else to go. She randomly picked a room to enter.

The room seemed to be a living room, complete with a bench and a fireplace. Lucina instantly ran over to the fireplace and knelt down. She continued to sob.

"This CAN'T be happening!" Lucina cried as tears kept falling down her face uncontrollably. "Robin isn't supposed to die! Why must this happen!?"

She continued sobbing for several minutes. Lucina, reluctantly, began to recall the words her mother had told her several nights ago…

'If you, or Robin for that matter, were to die in the upcoming battle against Walhart, wouldn't you feel miserable about not ever telling him how you truly felt?' her mother had said. The memory only made Lucina begin to weep even harder.

"I was such a fool!" Lucina whimpered. "I should have told him sooner, but now I'll never get a chance... I should have listened to mother! Why must this happen a second time? My heart can't take it! And now, there's no way we could ever fulfill that promise..."

This was true. Lucina was still seventeen at this point, after all. It had only been around nine years since that special day, but now it seemed that none of it matters anymore.

Lucina began to cry harder and harder for several minutes. Eventually, she began to have flashbacks to what possibly was her most important memory… a memory that now seems melancholic at best.

**Flashback to the distant future…**

"Wow, mister Robin!" a young Lucina exclaimed as she was riding atop a horse with Robin sitting right behind her. "We sure bought a lot of stuff!"

"Of course." The compassionate voice of Robin replied. "Otherwise, how would we be able to make your birthday dinner special?"

Lucina giggled. She was turning eight years old today, and Robin was helping her celebrate by cooking her a big dinner and baking her a cake! Robin had even agreed to let her help him make all the food. Lucina couldn't wait.

In fact, the truth was that Robin had spent the entire day with her. He was the one to gently wake her up today, and he had personally cooked her breakfast and lunch. Instead of teaching her and the children of the other shepherds like he usually does, Robin had taken them on a field trip to a nearby hill to play. Robin also took Lucina on a shopping trip the entire afternoon, and allowed the young princess to buy anything that caught her eye. They had then gone to the market and bakery to buy ingredients for the upcoming dinner celebration.

The day was turning out to be the best day in Lucina's life.

Finally, the pair returned to the castle. Robin immediately led the young princess to the kitchen in order to prepare the dinner.

Robin did everything that might have been considered dangerous for an eight year old to do. He gave the simple or less dangerous tasks to Lucina, who responded by trying her very best to accomplish her assigned tasks as well as she possibly could. After all, although Robin was a fantastic cook, she had to be able to pull her weight in the kitchen. At least, this is what Lucina thought.

Robin smiled at the earnesty and hard work Lucina put into doing the assigned tasks. These tasks, of course, were just to allow Lucina to believe she was actually helping. He made sure to discreetly double check everything Lucina did, in order to make sure everything turned out perfectly.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Lucina asked Robin as they worked.

"Well, when I was little, I lived with my mother in a small town on the border between Plegia and Ylisse." Robin explained to her. "We didn't really have enough money to eat, and so we ate whatever we could get our hands on. Sometimes, we didn't have enough food. But regardless, my mother always made sure that the food we had was as tasty as she could make it with what she had to work with. She taught me a thing or two. Once I joined your father's shepherds, I was able to start making more money, which allowed me to begin experimenting on how to cook even better. I picked everything up pretty fast, because my mother had taught me a lot."

"Wow, your mother must have been really nice to teach you all that!" Lucina's eyes glittered with admiration.

Robin sighed. "Yes, yes she was."

He cracked a few eggs into a large bowl. "Could you mix the whites and the yolks together for me?" Robin asked the young princess.

"Of course!" Lucina responded enthusiastically as she got to work immediately.

A few hours later, the food was all cooked, and the cake was done as well. Robin had even let Lucina be the one to decorate it. Of course, even with the help of Robin, the cake didn't look anywhere close to how beautiful the decorated cakes from a professional baker looked. Regardless, Lucina loved it because it was the cake that she had personally made with Robin.

One by one, they carried the dishes to the Exalt's personal dining room. The only ones to participate in the dinner was Lucina's mommy and daddy, her baby sister, herself, and of course, mister Robin. Lucina was more than fine with that arrangement.

They ate happily as a family. Robin chatted and laughed with her parents, and her mommy spoon fed her baby sister. Lucina tried to follow along in the adult's conversation because she was a 'big girl' now, but she found that much of what they were talking about still went right over her head.

Eventually, a servant ran into the dining room.

"Milords!" the servant exclaimed.

"Calm down." Chrom told him. "What did you need?"

"Ms. Cremont is asking for milord Robin." The servant bowed. "She says it is urgent."

Robin's eye twitched in disgust. "Tell her I'm busy right now. Inform her I'm not going to meet with her today."

"As you wish." The servant bowed once again, and promptly left. He seemed to be quite happy to be able to tell this 'Ms. Cremont' just that.

"That's the eldest daughter of the Cremont family, was it not?" Chrom asked. "What did she want?"

"Probably just wants to start things over and ask for another chance." Robin snorted. "Just like the many times before. Most likely, it was her father that sent her. There's no need to pay harlots such as her any attention. All she's looking to do is leech off of me."

"So have you officially closed yourself off to any romantic advances?" Sumia asked with concern as she spoon fed the four year old Cynthia.

"I wouldn't call them 'romantic' advances." Robin responded coldly. "Perhaps, 'political' advances would be more appropriate."

"Robin…" Sumia slowly said as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Don't worry about it." Robin chuckled. "I'm going to end up by myself, and I think I've accepted it by now." Robin rubbed Lucina on the head affectionately. "After all, on days such as these, I almost forget that I'm not married in the first place. And it's not really a problem. There's no one decent enough for me to marry anyways, it seems."

"That might be fine and all, but aren't you worried that they'll be no one to look after or take care of you once you become older?" Chrom asked with concern. "You won't have any children or anything then."

"I'll do it!" Lucina exclaimed suddenly, with the conversation finally reaching something she could begin to comprehend.

"Lucina dear…" Chrom chuckled.

"No, I'm serious!" Lucina protested. "I'll marry mister Robin! And I'll take care of HIM once I get older!"

The three adults in the room were understandably dumbfounded by Lucina's suggestion. Chrom and Robin both let out a chuckle.

"Lucina, honey…" Sumia told her daughter. "You're a little too young to talk about things like that."

"No I'm not!" Lucina exclaimed. "I'm eight years old now! I'm a big girl!"

"Yes, but eight years old is still too young to talk about marriage." Chrom told her. "Your feelings will change in a few years."

This may have been true in most cases. After all, a childhood crush on an adult eventually fades away after said child hits puberty. However, no one in the room knew that Robin will be forcibly taken away from Lucina's side in a mere year or two, which is well before young Lucina would have had a chance to rethink her feelings about him. And as such, her feelings for Robin persisted even through her transition to adulthood.

"I don't care!" Lucina retorted. "I love mister Robin, and if no one will marry him, I'll be the one to do it someday!"

"Lucina, stop." Chrom commanded. "You're too young to understand any of this."

"I will not!" Lucina told her father. "It's how I really feel!"

"How about this then?" Robin suggested as he let out a nervous chuckle. "In ten years, if you still feel the same way you do, and I'm still not married by then, I'll agree to marry you. Is that acceptable?"

"Robin!" Chrom and Sumia exclaimed at the same time.

"It's just as you say." Robin whispered to Chom. "Ten years is more than enough for her to grow out of it. And in the meantime, it might make her calm down."

Chrom thought about it for a moment. "Fine," he conceded eventually.

"You too?" Sumia asked her husband in disbelief.

"It's fine." Chrom assured her. "Robin does make a good point. I'll tell you later."

Lucina, in the meantime, completely ignored this short conversation between her parents. "Really mister Robin?" she asked. "You promise?"

Robin smiled at her. "Promise."

"Pinky promise?" Lucina asked once again while she stuck out her pinky at the tactician.

"Pinky promise." Robin nodded, and hooked the young princess's finger with his own.

"Yay!" Lucina exclaimed excitedly. "Ten years is such a long time though… I'd better start waiting then! Oh… why can't I grow up any faster?"

Lucina didn't realize at this moment, but this promise would be the most important promise to her that she'd ever make in her entire life.

**Throne Room, Castle Valm, in the 'Present'…**

"There has to be a way to save him!" Anna protested. "There's no way we can just watch him die!"

"Our healing magic doesn't work on him. His wounds are too severe." Libra, the normally kind and calm priest, informed her in a voice dripping with anger and frustration. "Unless you'd like to give it a try. Or perhaps, you have a better idea on how to save him?"

At this, Anna couldn't give a response. What he said certainly made sense. If Libra, Maribelle and Lissa couldn't heal him with their advanced proficiency in the usage of staves, then she would have absolutely no luck with her paltry skills. She could only let out a painful whimper.

"I might have a solution." Henry said, speaking up.

"Speak." Chrom commanded. "Anything that might help him would be welcome."

"Robin's body begins to heal any wound he receives using his stored quintessence." Henry explained. "So, technically speaking, as long as he has enough stored energy, he would be able to heal any wound."

"We all know that!" Tharja exclaimed in anger. "The problem, dear Henry, is that he obviously does not have enough to heal himself right now. That's a pretty fatal wound."

"You're right." Henry conceded. "But, you forget that Robin can harvest life energy from his victims in more than one way. The first is that he removes the quintessence from a recently killed organism by hand."

Henry raised an index finger. "This method is the most efficient. However, for obvious reasons, it is not a possibility right now."

"So hurry up and get to your point." Anna demanded. "He's dying over there for Naga's sake!"

"All right, all right." Henry conceded as he raised his hands defensively. "The point is, another way for him to harvest quintessence is to kill someone with his scythe. It's less efficient, but we could funnel quintessence into him using this method."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Chrom asked.

"Well, it's simple." Henry shrugged. "We wrap his fingers around the scythe, then we sacrifice some people by pushing them onto the blade. Their life energy will begin to transfer to Robin, and once the sacrifice has been completely drained, we move onto the next victim."

"Preposterous!" Miriel exclaimed. "Do you plan on volunteering yourself?!"

"If it comes down to it, I'd gladly lay my life down for Robin." Henry replied instantly in a cheerful manner. "But as it turns out, there are even better sacrificial lambs that we have."

The Plegian sorcerer pointed towards Walhart, who, at this point, had been forced onto his knees with his arms bound behind his back.

"The stronger the target, the more quintessence they will likely have." Tharja said, as if pondering the proposal. "Perhaps sacrificing Walhart and his men would be enough to save him…"

"Milord!" Frederick objected. "With all due respect, although saving Robin would be extremely important, what Henry is proposing still means murdering soldiers that have already surrendered!"

Chrom thought about it for a moment. "Walhart has caused more pain and suffering through his conquest than what any of us are able to fathom. And so, putting a stop to his madness was necessary. But Robin didn't deserve to die, and so I think it's fitting that Walhart and his men be sacrificed in order to bring him back. After all, Walhart has committed enough crimes to warrant execution, has he not?"

Frederick nodded. "You do make a good point, milord. But what about his men?"

"Are you trying to say that they are more innocent than Robin was?" Chrom challenged. "They still followed him, and many of them were the ones dealing the pain to the civillians."

"You are right." Frederick bowed. "I'm sorry. It is not my place to say such things. It won't happen again."

"All right then." Chrom nodded. "Bring Walhart over. Frederick, you pick out a few other shepherds to find the soldiers that Walhart used to command. Bring them here, and they'll be next."

He turned to Henry. "This was your suggestion, so you're welcome to set things up the way you see fit."

Henry picked up Robin's scythe and forced the weapon into Robin's unmoving hands.

Vaike and Gregor pushed Walhart towards the rest of the shepherds, but it was clear that Walhart was pretty reluctant to walk.

"We're going to have to kill you." Chrom calmly told the Conqueror. "No hard feelings."

"None at all." Walhart replied, showing no fear in his voice. "But before you do, can you please indulge me by allowing me to ask a question?"

"What could you possibly want, you filthy Imperial trash!?" Say'ri asked.

"Peace, Say'ri." Chrom held up a hand. "Let's hear what he wants to ask."

"That Falicorn…" Walhart gestured in the direction of Sumia's mount with his head. "What is her name?"

"My Falicorn?" Sumia asked, quite surprised. "It's… um it's Belfire. And how did you know it was a 'she'?"

"What was her original rider's name, and where is she now?" Walhart immediately demanded.

"Um…" Sumia had to think for a moment. "I think I remember someone telling me… it was Katarina or something. As for where she is now, I really have no idea. I honestly don't even know who she is."

"So it IS her…" Walhart sighed. "It's such a shame that I couldn't see you again."

"Oh, THAT Katarina." Henry cupped his chin with one hand. "Yeah, I've heard of her."

"What do you know about her?" Walhart quickly asked.

"Lady Katarina was… is Robin's mother. But she died twenty years ago." Henry revealed, which was a shock to everyone, especially Sumia, as this was the first time anyone had heard of Robin's past. "I wasn't working at the palace when it happened. In fact, I was barely a single year old at the time. But according to rumors, she was killed by her husband himself."

"What's your relationship with her?" Sumia asked curiously.

"She… Katarina was my older sister." Walhart replied. "She was unrivaled in terms of magical skill and was the princess of the empire. However, my father sold her hand in marriage for political gain around twenty five years ago. That was the last time I ever saw her."

"Wait a minute…" Lissa chimed in. "If Katarina was Walhart's sister, and Robin was Katarina's son… then that would make Walhart…"

"Robin's uncle." Chrom finished for her, eyes widening in realization. "Naga above… so that would make Robin a legitimate heir to the Valmese throne?"

This revelation was a shock to everyone, including Walhart, Tharja and Henry.

"That damned Validar!" Walhart spat. "I knew he couldn't be trusted! But my father wouldn't listen to me. He only cared about what he had to gain from that marriage. And look what happened! He even had the audacity to kill my sister after she graciously agreed to marry him! It's a pity that I couldn't sail over to Plegia and wring the life from that pathetic sorcerer's neck myself."

"Wait… Validar?" Chrom asked. "As in, King Validar of Plegia? The current ruler?"

Henry and Tharja looked at each other nervously.

"But that doesn't make sense!" Lissa protested. "Because that means Robin's father would be the current king of Plegia!"

A sudden wave of realization hit the shepherds once more.

"So, does that mean Robin belongs to the royal family of two different kingdoms then?" Stahl asked nervously.

"It would seem so." Maribelle nodded.

"To think, the man we thought was a lowly spy or thug would turn out to be both a Valmese and Plegian prince." Frederick chuckled to himself. "Oh, how wrong we were!"

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." Chrom said, closing his eyes and bringing one hand to his forehead. "I guess, since Walhart may be Robin's uncle, we should hold off on killing him for now. Let's just try his soldiers instead. Maybe he'll want to talk to him or something if we can bring him back."

"On the contrary." Walhart responded. "I would be honored to die for my nephew's sake. I have no regrets. Losing to foreigners would be shameful, but losing to the younger generation of your family is expected. As they say, the new generation always overcomes the old. And besides, it would work in your favor as well. Robin can take over as the new emperor of Valm."

Walhart let out a melancholic chuckle. "To think, just days ago, I was still thinking about world conquest. I never realized I had a nephew out there with so much potential. Imagine if he had grown up in the Valmese court…"

Some of the shepherds flinched. The thought of Walhart the Conqueror taking the same side as Robin, especially when they would be enemies of the shepherds, was pretty terrifying. Walhart's unmatched strength paired with Robin's unrivaled intellect truly would have been a force to be reckoned with. They probably WOULD have been able to take over the world with relative ease.

"All right then, you do make a good point." Chrom nodded. "Henry, are you ready?"

"I believe so." Henry chriped. "But you'll need to remove Walhart's armor first."

"That's enough!" a voice exclaimed.

Everyone turned, only to find Tiki walking up to them. Except, it wasn't really Tiki. Her eyes were glowing light green, and she seemed to be in a state of a trance.

"Lady Tiki?" Say'ri asked.

"That may be what you call this body." The voice replied. "But no, I am not Tiki. I am speaking to you as the Divine Dragon, Naga."

"Naga…" Chrom breathed. The shepherds fell to their knees, one by one.

"You may rise. While your plan certainly has the potential to work, there is no need for it." Naga told her followers. "For you see, I tend to disagree on just about everything with my counterpart, Grima. However, this is one of the rare times that we both agree on one thing: Robin must not die here. And so, we will bring him back from the brink of death and return him to the realm of the living."

"Truly?" Chrom asked. "Thank you, Divine Dragon."

"Yes." Naga replied. "I will go to him now. But… I will be bringing HIM with me."

Tiki's body pointed at Walhart.

"As you wish." Walhart replied coolly.

"Damn, he really doesn't fear death!" Gaius whispered to Stahl. "How can he say that with a straight face? And without soiling his trousers?"

"Dunno." Stahl whispered back. "Must be why he's called 'The Conqueror'."

Their whispering got them another smack across the back of their heads by their significant others.

Tiki snapped her fingers, and immediately, Walhart's head fell as he suddenly lost consciousness. However, he didn't hit the ground because Vaike and Gregor were holding his body upright.

The same could not be said about Tiki's body. She instantly went limp as Naga left her, and Say'ri instantly rushed forward to catch her falling form.

"Well, what was that about?" Lissa asked.

"I don't know." Chrom answered truthfully. "It certainly wasn't anything I was expecting, that's for sure. I guess all we can do now is wait."

"Yeah…" The rest of the shepherds seemed to agree with them. And so they sat around, their minds racing with all that had been revealed to them mere moments ago.

**The Realm Between Life and Death…**

Walhart regained consciousness and seemed to realize he was in a completely different dimension. In front of him was a woman. However, unlike normal women, her entire body seemed translucent. She was light green, and it seemed like if he tried to touch her, his hand would go completely through her.

"Welcome, Emperor Walhart of Valm." the woman told him. "I am the Divine Dragon Naga, the one whom you've been trying to drive out of your lands."

"I assume you're taking my life in exchange for Robin's?" Walhart asked.

"No." Naga shook her head. "On the contrary, I'm giving you a gift in exchange for a chance to talk."

"About what?" Walhart's eyes narrowed.

"You seem to be against me." Naga noticed. "I was merely wondering why that is."

"You're supposedly a god, and you don't know that? You need me to tell you what I'm thinking?" Walhart scoffed. "Pathetic."

"Just because I am a 'god' does not mean I'm all knowing. And it does not mean I'm omnipotent." Naga replied. "Such a being might exist if it were the only god in existence, but because there are many of us that can be considered 'gods', we must share the power over the universe. The power we hold governs the world collectively. But that means each of us only gets a piece of that power. However, it is more than what any individual human is capable of fathoming, which is why we have been elevated to the status of 'god' by your people."

"All right then." Walhart replied. "I'll tell you. It's because of my elder sister. She was always a devout follower of Naga and her Voice. I may have even followed in her lead at one point. However, you turned your back on her. You did nothing when my father gave her away to Plegia like a farmer sells a pig on the market. That is why I oppose you. Man cannot trust you to keep their best interests in mind."

"You fool." Naga chuckled. "But I cannot really blame you. After all, you lack the ability to see the entire picture. I've been taking care of my dear follower, Katarina for all of her life. Even in her last moments, I ensured she passed away without feeling too much pain or suffering."

"I don't believe you." Walhart told her simply.

"Your nephew, Robin, was born due to a collaboration between myself and the Fell Dragon, Grima." Naga continued. "He has the potential in him to do great things. Depending on how the future goes, he will be the one to either unite the world, or destroy it. Katarina answered her calling, and was able to birth such an important man. That was her greater purpose. The question now is, will you follow him? He was the potential to achieve your dreams, although not necessarily in the same way you might have achieved it. Will you reject him, or will you follow his lead and unite the world?"

Walhart seemed to ponder this for a moment. "If Robin truly is as great of a man as you make him seem… then yes. Yes, I will. I want to see him unite the world with my own eyes."

"See, that wasn't so hard." Naga smiled. "I'm not asking you to worship me, or even to like me. All I'm asking is that you give Robin your support in the future to come."

"I suppose that is an agreement we can reach." Walhart nodded. "He was able to best my army with a force less equipped and not as well trained. That is respectable enough as is."

"Good." Naga smiled. "With that out of the way, there are some people we'd like you to meet before we send you back to the realm of the living."

**With Robin…**

Robin awoke in a place he had never seen or even imagined before. There didn't seem to be any objects anywhere in sight. It was as if he was suspended in an empty room with walls the color of various shades of green and purple mixed in a tie dye pattern. However, it clearly was not paint, because the colors continued to swirl and move around, which actually caused Robin to feel slightly nauseous. In front of him were two figures, but his vision was a little blurry, and he couldn't make them out at first.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud. "Am I dead?"

"No, child." A familiar voice called out to him. "However, you are currently hovering on the brink of death."

Robin blinked a few times, and his vision finally focused. The two figures in front of him were two that he recognized. The first was the shadowy form of Grima that he had grown accustomed to seeing. The second figure… the one that spoke to him, was Katarina, his mother, which he had also seen in his dreams. She looked the same as she did when she was murdered. In fact, she looked young enough to be his sister.

"M-mother!?" Robin asked in shock.

"Yes, it is I." Katarina smiled melancholically. "I never got to watch you grow up. However, seeing you now, I'm glad you turned out to be so strong... so handsome."

"Take pride in who you are, and what you've become." Grima agreed. "I disagree with Naga on much, but this is one thing we agree on: You are too important to die now, and you have the ability to change the world. Naga and I bicker about exactly what that utopia may be, but what we both know is that you have the ability to achieve either of our dream worlds, depending on the choices you make."

"Really…" Robin couldn't really believe what he was seeing or hearing.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." A new, feminine voice called. "I've brought the other guest."

Katarina immediately fell to one knee and bowed her head as she faced the approaching figure. "Lady Naga."

"Please, lift your head." A translucent, green woman told her. "I've brought to you someone you haven't seen in twenty five years."

"Walhart!?" Robin exclaimed. "What is he doing here?"

Katarina raised her head, and her eyes went wide. "Walhart!? Is that really you?"

"Sister?" Walhart asked, with a hint of doubt in his voice. "Why are you here?"

"Lady Naga has graciously allowed me to return from the land of the dead temporarily, and be in this realm between life and death in order to see my son again." Katarina explained. "But it seems that I possess even more luck than I had dared hope for. Not only do I get to see my child once again, but I get to talk with you one last time."

"Then… would it be possible for you to return to the land of the living with us?" Walhart asked.

"No." Grima spoke up. "I'm willing to work with Naga in order to send Robin back, but not the mother. There's no incentive for me to allow her anyways. We're breaking enough laws of the universe as it is."

"You've heard him, Wally." Katarina smiled as she used the name she used to call him from several decades ago. "But it's fine. This is already more than I could have ever asked for."

"Wait." Robin raised his hands up in a 'stop' gesture. "What is the meaning of this? The two of you are siblings?"

"Yes, honey." Katarina replied.

"And you're my mother… which means…" Robin mumbled, beginning to piece things together in his head.

"That's right. He's your uncle." Katarina confirmed.

"This is news to be as well, Robin." Walhart assured him. "But still, it makes me feel better that I lost to the son of my beloved sister, instead of some stranger from a distant land."

"I have no desire to be related to YOU!" Robin snarled.

"Peace, Robin." Naga assured him. "I had a talk with Walhart. He is no longer your enemy."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked suspiciously.

"I have been shown the error of my ways." Walhart explained. "Once we get back to our own world, I will step down as emperor of Valm so that you may claim the throne for yourself."

"I have no desire to rule Valm either." Robin responded.

"FOOL! I am offering you all of Valm and yet-" Walhart began.

"If what you say really is true, then you will hold onto your position as emperor." Robin continued. "Stop your conquest and use your army to do good for the people of Valm. But I want no part in it. I wish to remain with the shepherds. They are my family now. Not some uncle that I've never met until recently."

Walhart stared at him with a deathly glare for a moment. "Fine. It will be done."

"Since Naga seems to claim that you're not my enemy, I'll trust you for now." Robin continued. "But, should you do anything to rouse suspicion, such as attempting to reconquer the lands you'll undoubtedly lose due to your defeat, we will return and dethrone you once more. If that time ever comes, we'll be sure to end your miserable life."

Walhart accepted Robin's animosity surprisingly well. "I understand. The conquered do not have the right to argue. But, I have to ask. The Ylisseans seem to have found out about your father's lineage. What if they were to reject you for it?"

"My father's lineage?" Robin asked. "Does it have to do with Plegia then?"

"Yes." Walhart nodded. "After all, the Ylisseans and Plegians are not fond of one another. That much is certain."

"If… and I mean IF they were to force me to leave the shepherds… then I suppose I will reconsider your offer." Robin said after thinking for a while. "But unless that happens, I will not abandon them."

"Understandable." Walhart agreed. "Like my men, you have a fierce loyalty. And as such, your soldiers have a great respect for you."

"Please," Katarina walked over to Robin and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Although you may not have any memories of me, I have memories of you, dear Robin. And even though it may seem unreasonable for me to ask I'd like-"

"You're wrong." Robin interrupted. "Recently, I've been having some lucid dreams. I've seen much about both my past in this timeline and the past of the future me. They are different, and yet somewhat similar at the same time. My point is, I saw the vision of you protecting me as you were killed. I also saw how great of a mother you were to me had you successfully fled to the Ylissean border."

Katarina looked shocked for a moment, but quickly recovered. "I see. I'm truly fortunate then. I'd like to ask this of you as your mother then. Please don't be suspicious of my brother. I'm sure he'll do his best in supporting you."

She turned towards Walhart again. "Isn't that right, Wally?"

"Of course." Walhart bowed his head. "This will quite possibly be the last time I might see you. I'll consider it as your last wish. You can be sure I'll honor it."

"Good." Katarina smiled. "Now, if you all wouldn't mind, could you allow me some time alone with my son?"

"Of course." Naga nodded, and the two of them walked a good distance away from the others.

"If only I had realized your father's intentions sooner…" Katarina sighed. "I could've taken you and fled Plegia sooner. Perhaps… perhaps we could have spent some time together before I left."

"Perhaps, but there isn't much that you could have done." Robin replied.

"You know, you were the cutest baby when you were little." His mother giggled. "It's hard to believe you're the offspring of that vile man."

"My father… it's Validar, isn't it?" Robin asked.

"Yes." she sighed. "I tried my best to love him, despite being in an arranged marriage. However, being able to love such a monster is… extremely difficult. People like him are dangerous to even associate yourself with."

"Just as I don't see Walhart as an uncle, I don't see him as a father." Robin assured her. "And I'm not going to lie, that's the same for you as well. Despite knowing you're my mother, I don't really feel anything towards you."

"Oh, that's quite all right, dear." Katarina said as she pulled Robin into a hug. "After all, when I died, you weren't old enough to even realize that I was your mother. Having you acknowledge that I am your mother is more than enough to satisfy me."

"Of course I acknowledge you as my mother." Robin nodded. "It's who you are. But the fact that remains is that you're still dead. Even though my father by blood is still alive, he is family no more. Instead, I have the Ylisseans to call family."

"If only… I had been stronger…" Katarina's eyes began to tear up as she pulled away from Robin. "We could have ended up in Ylisse and lead a happier life…"

"Don't regret too much, mother." Robin tried to comfort her. "In my visions, when you HAD made it to Ylisse, we lived extremely impoverished lives. We barely had food to put on the table, and you eventually died of sickness because we couldn't afford to buy you medicine. While my childhood certainly could have been better if I grew up with a loving mother, I DID also grow up in the Plegian palace with a silver spoon in my mouth."

"Impressive." Katarina looked closely at her son. "Naga told me… I was under the impression that you had forgotten much about your early life."

"Yeah, it's interesting…" Robin scratched his head. "I think it's all coming back to me… I'm getting some pieces of memory back, and filling in the blanks accordingly."

"So you remember that you were a prince in Plegia then?" Katarina asked.

"Yes…" Robin said slowly. "Now I do. But does that mean…."

"That you were both a prince of Valm and a prince of Plegia?" Katarina asked. "Yes. It does. You hold within yourself the hope and strength of two nations, and, as Naga had told you, you possess the ability to change the world. Your father would have you help him resurrect Grima, while Naga hopes that you'll help HER instead. It's a heavy responsibility. You truly are a powerful prince, but this power comes at a great price."

"I understand, mother." Robin nodded. "There's no way in hell I'm helping that monster of a father with his plans."

"Hearing you say that makes me satisfied." Katarina smiled. "While I've certainly loved talking to you, we should really get back. Your friends in the living world must be getting awfully worried about you. Always remember that I loved you, and I still love you. Never forget that."

The two of them returned to the other three, and Katarina said her final goodbyes to her brother and her son.

Naga reached out her hands towards Robin's face. She placed them on Robin's cheeks. Robin closed his eyes and felt an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquility. He slowly opened his eyes, and found himself no longer in that strange dimension, but back with his friends.

**Throne Room, Castle Valm…**

Robin slowly began to stir.

"Robin!" Chrom exclaimed. "Robin, are you awake?"

The rest of the shepherds immediately hurried over when they heard Chrom.

"Ugh…" Robin slowly rose to a sitting position. He gripped his head with one hand. "I feel like I've been run over by a wyvern."

Nearby, Walhart and Tiki began to wake up as well.

"How is your wound?" Say'ri asked in concern.

Robin looked down at his chest. His cloak didn't have a single scratch on it. It was as if he had never been slashed. However, when looked underneath his clothes, he found that there was an extremely large scar on his chest.

"It doesn't hurt, so that's good news." Robin reported. "But there is a nasty scar. It might stay there for a long time."

"So were you really saved by Naga?" Lissa asked.

"Uh… yeah, I think." Robin replied. "I saw both Naga and Grima. They said that they both wanted me alive, which was why they were going to work together and save me."

"Thank the heavens!" Chrom exclaimed. "It's good to have you back."

"Yeah." Robin agreed. "It's good to be back alive."

"So… do you know?" Chrom asked him. "About Walhart?"

"Yeah. I talked to him in that other dimension." Robin nodded.

"Other… dimension?" Chrom asked, feeling quite puzzled.

"It's some place that's apparently in the realm between life and death." Robin waved his hand. "But that's not important. The point is, I know that Walhart is related to me now."

"And what about your Plegian lineage?" Chrom asked.

"Yeah… I know of it too." Robin admitted. "Does it mean… am I still welcome in the shepherds?"

"What are you talking about?" Chrom asked. "It doesn't matter what your past is like, or who your parents were. All that matters is who YOU are, and there will always be a place for you, or someone like you, here among the shepherds."

"Then I need not worry." Robin gave a sigh of content.

"Still, there is the matter of what we should do with Valm now that we've defeated the empire…" Chrom asked.

"He just woke up for Naga's sake!" Lissa scolded her brother. "Could you at least give him some time before you discuss that?"

"It's fine." Robin quickly said. "I feel much better than a few moments ago already."

He slowly got to his feet.

"We don't need to do anything with Valm." Robin continued. "We can leave her under the rule of emperor Walhart. He will assign his resources to rebuilding and maintaining the welfare of his citizens rather than conquest, and will be Ylisse's ally in the future. Isn't that right, emperor Walhart?"

The shepherds, who were understandable shocked at Robin's words turned to Walhart, who wore a smirk on his face.

"Yes, it is just as my nephew says." Walhart agreed. "We will cede all of the territory that I conquered during my campaign back to their original countries, and I will rebuild the country of Valm. You can expect no more trouble from me in the future."

"Robin…" Chrom looked at him. "Is this…"

"It's something we discussed already." Robin smiled. "Rest easy."

"I'll take your word for it then." Chrom nodded. "We'll leave reparations for the war in the hands of the Valmese then. I'm sure their treasury can handle it. After all, they no longer require as many funds to govern if they are to return to their original land holdings."

"A fine idea." Flavia agreed. Robin hadn't seen her in the castle earlier, so he could only assume that she made her way inside at some point while he was stuck on the brink of death. "We should draft up a formal document of surrender in the next day or two. Once Valm has officially declared its surrender to the world, we can finally go home."

"You're right." Chrom nodded. "In the meantime, we can all take some time to rest. The war has been taxing on all of us. All of you are dismissed for some rest. We'll stay at Valm Castle tonight, so why don't you all go see if you can find any guest bedrooms?"

The shepherds acknowledged their leader, and most of them began to disperse. Anna was one of the few shepherds that seemed to want to stay by Robin's side as he recovered.

"Don't worry too much about him, Anna." Lissa told her. "I'll make sure he's fine. Why don't you go join the others?"

Anna, under the suggestion of Lissa, reluctantly left.

"I'm sorry, but for obvious reasons, we can't let you just roam around freely." Chrom told Walhart. "We're going to have to keep you somewhere and have someone guard you until the official surrender."

"I understand." Walhart told him simply. "Do as you must."

The ex Conqueror was led away to one of the jail cells in Castle Valm.

At this point, Chrom, Sumia and Lissa were the only three that were in extreme proximity of Robin. However, Gaius and Cordelia were still hanging around the area. Cordelia had just told her fiance about the whole situation between Lucina and their tactician, and Gaius was itching to get the opportunity to give Robin the green light to make his advances.

"Gaius, Cordelia!" Chrom called. "I know you probably are concerned about Robin, but do not worry. We'll make sure he's in good hands. Why don't you go enjoy your time off with the others?"

"Yeah, well…." Gaius scratched his head. "I was hoping to get a chance to talk to Bubbles at some point."

"Oh?" Robin asked, feeling slightly surprised. "About what?"

"I think you might know." Gaius smirked. "But we can save that for another time. I'll catch you later!"

"Oh I'm sure it's fine to talk to him about it now." Sumia offered, giggling at the thought of it.

Gaius stared at her for a moment. Then stared at Chrom for a bit. "You're sure she's on OUR side, now, right?" he whispered to Cordelia.

"Yes." Cordelia whispered back. "She's the one that found out for me in the first place."

"You see, Sumia…" Gaius continued. "We have things to discuss that are very… sensitive." he made a gesture with his head towards Chrom to remind the klutz that her husband was currently right in front of them.

"So this is something you need to discuss with Robin that I cannot know about then?" Chrom smiled. Robin, Gaius and Cordelia all chuckled nervously at that. "Maybe Lissa is the problem. If I send her away, would that be sufficient?"

"Oh haha!" Lissa exclaimed angrily. "Very funny!"

"Well, he'll find out eventually anyways," Sumia reasoned. "Why not just tell him now? It might actually make things easier moving forward. And besides, I'll be here to calm him down if he gets too mad."

"Wait a minute…" Chrom narrowed his eyes. "Now I'm suspicious."

"Go on." Sumia told Gaius. "Just tell them."

"Uh… I don't know about THAT one, Stumbles." Gaius sheepishly declined. "I'd hate to be thrown to the streets again."

"Well, shall I tell them for you then?" Sumia asked.

"There's no need." Cordelia interjected. "I'll say it."

The Falcon Knight gripped their tactician's shoulders with her hands. "Robin. She likes you. Do something about it." she lightly slapped Robin across the cheek.

"Really?" Robin asked. His usually calm expression looked extremely flustered at the current time. He kept glancing nervously at Chrom every few seconds. He rubbed the part of his face that Cordelia just hit.

"She?" Chrom thought for a moment. "Wait a minute… you're not talking about Lucina, are you? You'd better not be."

"Of course they are!" Sumia exclaimed. She clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Sumia!?" Robin and Gaius exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh!" Lissa smiled. She couldn't help but feel as if she had just been let in on an extremely important secret.

"What?" The Dark Flier asked innocently. "Am I wrong?"

"Robin…" Chrom's expression darkened. "Is this true?"

Robin sighed. "I guess now that the cat is out of the bag, there's no need to pretend. I don't know about what she feels, but… yes. I do like… Lucina." he looked at Chrom in the eyes. "I hope you're not too upset. If you wish it, I'll leave her alone." This confirmation made Lissa squeal with delight.

Chrom thought for a moment. "If you want to court her, then that's up to you. I have no qualms about it."

"Hey!" Lissa protested. "Why is it that you had so much of a problem with Lon'qu marrying me, but you have no problems with Robin and Lucina getting together? She's your DAUGHTER after all."

"Well... " Chrom scratched his head. "A couple reasons actually. The first was that I was not very experienced, and I lost my cool without thinking things through. I never realized how much it would benefit you, as well as Lon'qu. The second is that… well… Lucina may be my daughter, but she's just about as old as you are, Lissa. She's already been through more than either of us can imagine, and so I think she's more than capable of deciding who she wants to be with. If she thinks that person is Robin, what right do I have to tell her that she's wrong? And besides, I didn't trust Lon'qu back then as much as I trust Robin now. If I had to pick one person in the world to entrust my daughter to, it probably WOULD be him."

"Truly?" Robin asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"Yeah." Chrom confirmed. "If it's what she wants, then I think it could be good for both of you. As long as it's something she'd like, I'll support the two of you."

"Thank you." Robin told his best friend sincerely.

"Don't thank me yet." Chrom chuckled. "Lucina is the one you have to talk to first."

"Speaking of…" Robin continued. "Where is she? I didn't see her earlier."

"When she thought you were dead, she ran off crying." Sumia giggled. "I know I really shouldn't poke fun of her, because for a moment we were all scared we'd lose you as well, but now that the feeling has passed, it IS rather cute, wouldn't you say?"

"Y-yeah…" Robin agreed in embarrassment. "I'll go look for her then."

He ran off down one of the halls in Castle Valm.

"Now then... " Chrom chuckled. "How long have you all been planning this from behind my back?"

"Er… not too long." Gaius admitted. "Nowi told Gregor that apparently Robin didn't marry anyone in the future, which kind of upset him. And so the two of us, alongside Stahl, decided to try and help him find someone. We took him to a tavern, and he admitted that he felt attracted to Lucina."

"But clearly it's not just the three of you that know about this…" Chrom accused.

"Yeah, I told Cordelia, and I'm guessing she told Sumia." Gaius shrugged. "Personally, I'm just surprised you're so calm about it."

"Believe me, I'm extremely shocked on the inside." Chrom laughed. "But somehow, I think I've learned a lot from seeing Lissa and Lon'qu together. I'm thinking if the two of them could be anywhere as close as they are, there should be no problems for any of us."

"I'm sure that will be the case!" Sumia smiled optimistically. "They're head over heels for each other, or so I've been told."

"Ooh… I can't WAIT to tell everyone else about it!" Lissa exclaimed excitedly. "I've just received so much juicy information to gossip about!"

"NO!" everyone around them exclaimed at once.

"Don't you dare!" Cordelia gave her a frown.

"We don't even know if they'll end up together for sure yet." Sumia reasoned. "It's better to wait for them to reveal to everyone, don't you think?"

"Yeah, that sounds much better." Gaius agreed.

"Once they make it public, you can talk about whatever you want, Lissa." Chrom told his sister. "But until then, I expect you to keep your mouth shut."

"Fine!" Lissa pouted.

**With Robin…**

For a normal person, it probably would have been impossible to track down Lucina. Especially considering that Robin had no experience with the interior layout of Castle Valm. Fortunately, he had been able to pinpoint the location of the future princess with his Hekseer. All that was left to do was to take the right hallways down to where Lucina was hiding.

"What a day it has been…" Robin chuckled to himself. They had defeated Walhart not once, but twice. Furthermore, he had almost died, but was brought back to life by the combined efforts of both Naga and Grima. Not only that, but he had also met his mother for what was basically the first time, AND found out about his past as both a Valmese and Plegian prince. Oh yeah, and Walhart was apparently his uncle now. And not only that, but Chrom is now giving him permission to make romantic advances on Lucina.

That actually made him kind of nervous. He had no idea what he should do or say. He spent some time thinking over what he would do once he reached Lucina. There was only one chance at this, and he didn't want to screw things up too badly.

Finally, he reached the room and opened the door slightly. Lucina was still on the ground, bawling her eyes out. She didn't even register the noise of the door opening. Had Robin been a Valmese Assassin or even just a Risen, Lucina might have just died. It wasn't something pleasant for him to think about.

"Lucina?" Robin finally called, figuring that it was a good place to start. He didn't have anything fully figured out yet, but he couldn't go wrong with that one, right?

Lucina turned around. As soon as she laid eyes on him, her expression immediately changed. It was as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Robin?" Lucina asked, not believing her eyes. "You're… you're alive?"

"Yeah." Robin chuckled. "Long story. Basically, I was as close to death as I possibly could, but I was saved by both Naga and Grima."

"Grima!?" Lucina instantly became suspicious. Her hand moved towards her sword.

"Calm down, Lucina." Robin told her. "They said that they both preferred to have me be alive than dead, which is why they worked together to bring me back."

"Prove it then." Lucina told him. "How can I know you're not something or someone trying to decieve me? Tell me something only Robin would actually know."

Robin chuckled. "Had I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already. You didn't notice when I first walked into the room, after all. I would have no need to inform you first, right?" At this, Lucina began to blush in embarrassment.

"M-maybe." Lucina said, still not quite sure.

"Hmm…" Robin thought about it for a moment. "What about that conversation we had at night on the ship as we sailed for Valm? Or what about when I helped you in that fight at Valm harbor? Or when I walked with you after we left Fort Steiger? Or… what about reading the Waltz of the Three Kingdoms early in the mornings? Do you need me to go further into the details? I can if you wish."

At this, Lucina's previous doubts about him were vanquished. She got up and rushed towards Robin and enveloped him in an embrace. He smelled the same way Lucina had always remembered, which was further proof that what she had deemed impossible was actually reality.

"You're really alive then?" Lucina asked.

"Yeah." Robin replied. "It's hard for me to believe as well."

Lucina could feel tears begin to well up again, but this time, it was out of happiness. 'If I've learned anything from the past day, I won't let this chance escape me again.' she told herself.

"R-robin…" Lucina whispered. "There's something I'd really like to discuss with you."

"Sure." Robin instantly replied. "And… actually, there was something I came here to talk to you about as well."

"Oh…" Lucina murmured.

'Probably just the plans for the upcoming few days or something.' she thought to herself.

"Well, it's not actually super important, and you said you had something to talk about first, so let's talk about what you had wanted to discuss." Robin smiled.

"N-no." Lucina shook her head. "I'd prefer you to go first."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked. To be completely honest, he hadn't made too much progress on how he would tell Lucina his feelings. His mind was currently racing with different possibilities. He couldn't come off as overly desperate or creepy, yet he didn't want to seem too distant or cold either.

"Yeah." Lucina smiled up at him. "I'd like that."

"All right then, let's sit down." Robin gestured towards the bench in the room. He began to move towards it, which gave him a few extra moments to think. Lucina eagerly sat down next to him.

"Lucina…" Robin began. "You'd consider the two of us to be friends, right?"

"Y-yeah…" Lucina replied. The conversation was already going in a completely different direction than what she had been expecting.

"So if I had something I need some advice on, would you be fine with me asking you?" he continued.

"Um… I guess." Lucina smiled. "But what advice could I possibly give YOU?"

"Well, I'm really smitten with this one girl…." Robin admitted. Lucina's eyes widened. "And I really want to tell her how I feel, and to be together with her, but I'm concerned about what her reaction might be. The possibility of rejection scares me. What do you think I should do?"

At this, Lucina began to break down once again. Her emotions had been fluctuating far too much today. She had her heart broken, mended, only to be broken once again. Even in the past few weeks, or even years, her life seemed to follow a similar pattern. She felt as if her mind had finally snapped at this revelation.

Based on how Robin had asked her the question, he must be referring to someone else, right? After all, he wouldn't ask HER about it if the person he had in mind was herself. In other words, Robin did have someone else in mind, but getting pretty solid evidence from what he had told her was proving to be more than Lucina could handle. Despite her own feelings, she still felt that Robin deserved an answer, considering he had decided to confide in her.

"I think…" Lucina sniffled as she continually tried to wipe away the tears falling down her face. She decided to tell him what she truly believed, even though it hurt immensely. "I think you should just tell her. If you wait too long, you might lose your chance forever."

After answering him, a tsunami of tears seemed to erupt from her eyes as she lost herself to sorrow and despair.

"L-lucina?" Robin looked at her. He'd never seen her break down quite so much. Even in the past, when he saw her crying, he didn't think she looked as… vulnerable as she did currently. "Are you… what's wrong?"

"What's WRONG is that this world seems intent on taking away everything from me!" Lucina sobbed angrily. "Right when I feel as if things are beginning to look up, something comes up that crushes all of my hope. It feels that, despite all of my efforts, everything bad just HAPPENS to occur to me. What did I ever do to deserve this treatment from Naga?"

'Damn…' Robin thought to himself. 'Maybe I did just screw up.'

"I'm-" Robin began.

"Wait." Lucina commanded. "Since you've asked your question, I need to tell you what's on MY mind. Since it clearly doesn't matter anymore, I'll just say it. I love you Robin. I've loved you ever since I was just seven or eight years old. When I came to this timeline, I realized that not only were you alive, but you were everything I had remembered you to be from my childhood. And furthermore, you were younger and around the same age as me. I thought that maybe, MAYBE I could have a chance at winning over your heart, but now I see that it was all completely pointless."

"Wait a-" Robin wanted to interrupt. Instead, it was Lucina that interrupted him.

"LET ME FINISH!" Lucina demanded as she continued her rant. "You have NO IDEA how many feelings and emotions I've kept inside me this whole time! You cannot even begin to understand why I'm so devastated right now! When I was younger, you would always spend time with me when my parents were otherwise too busy. You made life interesting and enjoyable for me, and even though I was a little wary of you at first, that feeling quickly disappeared and was replaced with attraction. Even though you were much older. You filled the place in my life that my parents couldn't because of their own responsibilities! By the time I was around nine years old, I would have preferred to spend time with you over my father! THAT'S how much you meant to me!"

"That person…" Robin realized, remembering what they had talked about a while ago. "That person you talked about… it was me…"

Lucina nodded with her tearstained face. She began to tell him about all the memories she had of the two of them together. From her very first encounter with him to the day he gifted her with a toy Falchion… From the bedtime stories to the meals they shared together… From playing house to goofing around outside… From the time he spent on teaching her… the first time they rode on a horse together… the time he tried to teach her magic, but got yelled at by her mother… the time he snuck her out of her room past her bedtime to look at the fireflies… the time he took her to the fair and let her try all the food she wanted... the times he made up games for them to play when she was bored… the times he visited her when she was sick… the times he spent playing board games with her when it was raining outside… the times he comforted her when she was really upset… and finally, she told him of the entire day they had spent together on her eighth birthday. Robin eyes widened as she revealed everything to him. It was as if Lucina suddenly didn't care about hiding anything from him anymore.

Even though the others had hinted that Lucina may have harbored some feelings for him, it was nothing like what he had imagined. But he didn't say anything. He just sat there and listened to her.

"You promised me…" Lucina sniffled. "You promised me! You promised me that day that if I felt the same way about you in ten years, that you'd marry me! That was nine years ago! I know you must have said that while believing that my feelings would change, but they haven't changed at all!"

She let out a sigh. "But now, I guess none of that matters anymore, since there is someone else you're interested in. I guess there was no reason to think that you would have remembered it, of course. You wouldn't know about what the you of the future promised me after all."

She hesitantly looked at Robin in the eyes. "Whichever girl you're interested in… she's extremely lucky. And she'd be a fool to turn you down. So don't be worry about rejection. Just tell her how you feel."

"Lucina… I should apologize." Robin sighed.

"There's nothing for you to apologize about!" Lucina exclaimed. "You didn't do anything wrong, and I know you're not trying to hurt me on purpose… but that doesn't make things any easier to swallow." she placed her head in her hands. "If only… if only I had said something sooner… I was such a fool…"

Robin finally couldn't stop himself anymore. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Lucina.

"Are you trying to pity me?" the princess hesitantly asked. "Because if you are, I'd prefer if you didn't. It will take some time… it will take a LONG time, but eventually… hopefully I'll be able to get over it."

"Stop." Robin commanded, making Lucina flinch slightly. "It's my fault. I was just trying to think of some clever way to tell you that I had feelings for you. I didn't want to make things too awkward. But now, after seeing your reaction, I'm definitely regretting it."

Lucina lifted her face from her hands for a moment. "You're lying. I didn't think you were going to go this far in order to try and make me feel better."

"I'm dead serious." Robin insisted. "This is not something I'd be able to jest about. If you were to give me the chance, I'd be willing to spend the rest of my life with you in order to prove it."

Lucina looked Robin directly in the eyes. He did look extremely serious about it.

Suddenly, Robin leaned in towards her face. He met her lips with his own. Lucina's eyes widened in shock momentarily. Finally, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to lean into the kiss, letting out a small moan of delight.

Neither of them had much experience with this sort of thing, so the kiss was fairly clumsy. However, it didn't bother either of them. They were both just happy that it had happened at all.

"Y-you… you really mean that?" she asked hesitantly after they broke away from one another.

"On my life." Robin assured her.

"Th-then…" she continued nervously. "Is it all right… I mean… it's fine for me to be your girlfriend then?"

"I'd have no one else." Robin smiled. "I've always been rather paranoid that the person I end up with won't love me for who I am, but rather because of my title or how much power I hold. But with you, I feel as if it's nothing to worry about… especially after everything you just told me."

Lucina felt her face heat up at the realization of everything she had told him earlier. Up until this point, Lucina had just sat there, letting Robin hold her. However, she now actively returned the hug. She buried her face into Robin's chest.

"I almost don't believe it…" Lucina murmured. "But the fact is, I really WANT to believe it. You have no idea how long I've waited for something like this."

"I know it hasn't been as long for me as it has been for you…" Robin replied, slowly rubbing his new girlfriend's back as she clutched onto him. "But this is something I had hoped for, for about two years as well."

This came as a surprise to Lucina. Had Robin really liked her for that long? Two years ago… that would've have been that night they fought off the assassin's going after Emmeryn.

"If only I had stayed with you all after saving Aunt Emmeryn's life that night…" Lucina lamented. "Perhaps… maybe we would be even closer by this point."

"It's possible, but I'm just happy to be with you at all." Robin chuckled. "Better now than never."

"Yeah." Lucina broke her embrace with Robin. She cupped the sides of Robin's face with her two hands. "So does this mean you'll spend more time with me then? I think I'd love that. Even if it's just to look at the stars at night together or something… I think anything would be enjoyable as long as I can be by your side."

"Yeah. For sure." Robin raised one of his own arms and cupped one of Lucina's hands with his own. "But for now, we should probably head back. The others will be worried about us."

"Y-yeah…" Lucina admitted sheepishly. "I kind of ran off on my own earlier…"

The two got up and left the room. However, Lucina insisted on holding Robin's hand as they walked. Robin had to admit, it was pretty cute how clingy she was turning out to be.

"So… all that's left is to make sure Chrom is OK with it." Robin casually said as they walked.

"What do you mean?" Lucina asked in concern.

"Well, he IS my best friend." Robin chuckled. "If he refuses to let us be together, then we probably should respect his wishes."

"That's absurd!" Lucina exclaimed. "Why would father be against us?"

"You're his daughter, and I'm his best friend." Robin reasoned. "Do you not see how that could be a problem?"

"I… well…" Lucina sighed. It WAS something she hadn't even really considered. "If father refuses to let us be together, then let's run away! We could still be together that way!"

Robin looked at her, and found that there was no chance that she could have been joking around. Determination and conviction filled her eyes as she looked at him.

"What about the future then?" Robin asked. "How could we help prevent your future if we leave the shepherds?"

Robin made a good point. Lucina couldn't say anything but pout and whine under her breath.

"All right, all right." Robin chuckled. "Chrom was already informed of this possibility before I came to find you. He seems to be fine with our current arrangement… as long as it's something YOU want."

"Oh. Well that's good then." Lucina breathed a sigh of relief. However, she still absentmindedly clutched onto Robin's arm with her other hand as well.

Robin noticed this and began to laugh. "You don't have to hold on THAT tightly." he joked. "I'm not going anywhere."

It was only then that Lucina realized just how much she was clinging onto Robin. She looked like she could have been his arm ornament.

"You never know." Lucina giggled.

For the first time in a long time, Lucina was able to feel something akin to true happiness. Considering everything that had happened to her in the past few hours, today was actually turning out to be a fantastic day.

**Walhart: HP: 120% Str: 80% Mag: 20% Skl: 50% Spd: 50% Lck: 45% Def: 55% Res: 40%**

**Age: 43**

**Class: Conqueror**


	32. Noble Lineage

**Author's Notes:**

**And so it begins… the lost children arc. I've always been quite adamant about the whole Donnel and Maribelle pairing, for a couple of reasons. The first was that of all the characters, Maribelle was always the one that was most likely to sneer at someone of low social status. In other words, she is the closest shepherd to a stereotypical noble. So the fact that she gets over this in order to marry someone from the countryside like Donnel always felt right to me. The second reason is Brady. No matter who Maribelle marries, Brady always talks like a "thug" and has unrefined language. In this case, I think it makes Donnel the perfect father for him, since Donnel talks in a somewhat similar fashion. These two reasons combined makes me always pair the two together.**

**That is enough rambling for now though, here is chapter 32:**

**Castle Valm…**

Gaius, Stahl and Gregor were waiting for Robin to return. Gaius had found the other two, and alerted them to the possibility of Robin finally making a move, and so the three of them decided to wait around the throne room for them to return. After all, Robin had run off in the exact opposite direction of where the rest of the shepherds had gone towards, so there was a large possibility that they'll have to come back through the throne room. Even if there is another way to get to their desired destination, chances are, they won't know Castle Valm well enough to take that path instead of the one that they originally used.

"And you say Chrom was there as well?" Stahl asked. "Man, did we miss something good!"

"Maybe... but unfortunately, none of us will be there for the moment of truth." Gaius sighed. "Although… I suppose it's how it should be. It should be something only for the two of them to talk about. I just hope that everything works in Bubbles's favor. It would be a shame if the princess turned him down after everything that's happened."

"Oy, but as Sumia say, Lucina like Robin, yes?" Gregor laughed. "Then fear not! No need for the nervousness!"

"Yeah, Gregor's right on this one." Stahl agreed. "Since it's something that they probably both want, then the only logical conclusion is that they end up together."

The three of them stopped talking once they heard the sound of Lucina's giggle coming from down one of the halls. Moments later, they saw Robin appear, with Lucina firmly gripping his left arm with both of hers. Robin seemed to be talking about something to her, and although they didn't hear what he had said, they knew it was something that had caused Lucina to laugh.

"So I take it everything went well?" Stahl called towards the newly formed couple.

As soon as Lucina realized the presence of the other three shepherds, she froze. She hadn't been expecting for anyone to see the two of them together so soon. And certainly not before they talked about it with her father first.

"Yeah." Robin chuckled, which came as a surprise to his new girlfriend. "Thanks guys."

"W-wait... " Lucina stammered. "Th-they knew about… this?"

"Yup." Gaius confirmed as he gave her a thumbs up. "But don't worry, Blue Jr, we're all happy for you two."

"You make Robin a happy man, yes?" Gregor laughed. "He have eye on you for very long time!"

"He… what?" Lucina wondered out loud. She looked up at Robin, and found that he was covering his face with his other hand. Underneath his fingers, Lucina could make out a hint of pink. She giggled at the sight of it; Robin usually never seemed flustered.

"All right, we shouldn't keep you two here for long." Stahl eventually said. "After all, I'm assuming you two are going to find Chrom?"

"Y-yeah." Robin nodded, recovering from his earlier embarrassment.

"Well then, by all means…" Gaius gestured towards the hallway that lead to where the rest of the shepherds were. "I'm sure Blue will be happy to hear it."

"Thanks." Robin smiled. "That means a lot."

The pair walked by them. Lucina gave them an appreciative smile and a nod of courtesy as they passed by. Once the two of them were disappeared, Gaius, Stahl, and Gregor gave each other high fives in celebration.

"I didn't know there were others that cared about… us." Lucina admitted as they walked out of earshot. "Are there any more of them that I should know about?"

"Well… kind of." Robin admitted. "Cordelia knew… and I guess… so did Sumia. Also, Sully might know too…"

"So that's why…" Lucina's eyes widened in realization. "My mother asked me about whether I had a boyfriend or something the other night… she must have had this in mind then."

"I guess I never realized how much everyone cared about me…" Robin chuckled to himself. "They really all came together just for this."

"And it seems I got truly lucky." Lucina giggled to herself.

"My word!" a female voice called out, redirecting the attention of the two of them.

"What is it Maribelle?" Donnel asked, wandering out of their room and into the hallway.

"Look!" Maribelle gestured towards Robin and Lucina to her fiance.

Donnel turned towards them, and found that Lucina was still firmly attached to Robin's arm. "Oh hey, whad'ya know... are y'all together now?"

"Yeah." Robin nodded. Lucina bit her bottom lip and mirrored his action.

"Well, congratulations!" Donnel exclaimed. "I really mean it, gosh darn it!"

"I approve!" Maribelle nodded as she closed her eyes and smiled. She waved an index finger at the two of them. "Far better than some random nobleman's daughter. Those tramps couldn't hold a candle to the princess of the realm! And as for you, dear Lucina, you'll be hard pressed to find a man better than Robin, after all. The two of you are perfect together."

"Thanks Maribelle." Robin chuckled. Meanwhile, Lucina had a sudden fascination with the patterns sewn onto the carpet she was standing on.

Many other shepherds heard the commotion in the hallways and poked their heads out of their rooms to see what was up. Almost everyone took a turn congratulating the two of them when they realized what had happened.

Towards the end of the hall, Anna also poked her head out of her room. When she saw Lucina clinging onto Robin's arm, she instantly understood. She let out a sigh of exasperation. Her face scrunched up into a frown.

"My, you seem upset." Say'ri chuckled. She had also come out of her room to see what was happening, and had happened to see Anna's reaction because her room was directly across from the redhead's.

"Oh, are you trying to say you're not then?" Anna countered. "Hypocrite."

"Fie, maybe I am." Say'ri admitted. "But this is something I have been expecting after all. I'm not sure you'll be able to say the same. Nay, I actually expected you to have a much stronger reaction than this."

"Oh yeah?" Anna sulked.

"Aye, my lady." Say'ri nodded. "A reaction full of frustration, and possibly jealousy. You don't seem to feel either of those two emotions."

"Oh trust me, Say'ri, I feel them BOTH." Anna pouted. "But I guess when I put everything into perspective, I can't really complain."

"And prithee, what might you mean by that?" Say'ri asked, feeling slightly confused.

"Well…" Anna chuckled. "Robin was the one to save me… when I was in a bind. Literally. And because of him, I was given a chance to join the shepherds. I think I'm closer with them than I am with my own family at this point."

She suddenly let out a laugh. "I guess I was always wishfully thinking that I'd be the only one interested in Robin. And to a certain extent, I deluded myself by thinking that Robin must have been into me as well. However, the truth is that because of who Robin is, there will always be girls flocking towards him. It was something I was never guaranteed, yet I kept telling myself it was. Aside from feeling bad about not telling him how I felt earlier, it actually isn't quite as painful as I thought it would have been. After all, I still have the rest of the shepherds to consider my big, happy family."

"Aye, you're right about that." Say'ri nodded. "You're right about that one."

"Well, I'm gonna go take a nap… I guess." Anna waved Say'ri goodbye while simultaneously wiping away a stray tear with her other hand. "It's been good talking… and everything."

Anna closed the door to her room.

"She tried to play it off, but I could tell." Say'ri murmured to herself. "I reckon that girl will be crying herself to sleep tonight."

She sighed, and went back into her own room.

Meanwhile, Robin and Lucina had made their way to Chrom's room. Robin carefully knocked on the door.

"Come in!" they heard Sumia call from inside the room.

Robin looked at Lucina. She smiled up at him and nodded. Robin took a deep breath and opened the door. Chrom was standing in front of the windows on the far side of the room, while Sumia was sitting on their shared bed. She gave the pair a smile and a wave of encouragement.

"Hey… Chrom." Robin began awkwardly as they entered.

"Hey." Chrom nodded at the two of them. He took a moment to inspect them closer, particularly on how Lucina was hanging off his best friend's arm. "So… by the looks of it, I take it you two are together now?"

"Yes." Robin nodded slowly. "And you're fine with it?"

"Well, I just have one question… for Lucina." Chrom replied. At this, Lucina suddenly stood up a little taller.

"Is this something you really want?" Chrom asked. "It wasn't because he… convinced you? I know how he can have a silver tongue when he really puts the effort into it."

"Hey!" Robin protested, causing both the females in the room to giggle at his reaction.

"Yes, father." Lucina finally said. "This is something I want from the bottom of my heart. It's something I've wanted for so long, that I can't even remember what it was like before I felt this way."

Chrom breathed a sigh of relief. "All right then. I have no problems with it."

"Thanks, Chrom." Robin smiled at him.

"Just… take good care of her, Robin." Chrom nodded back at him. "But… I didn't think you needed me to tell you that."

"Don't worry, I will." Robin immediately replied.

"Well, then." Sumia interjected as she clapped her hands together. "Almost everyone has settled in now. There's a few more empty rooms down the hall, why don't the two of you go pick out the two rooms you'll be staying in?"

"Sure." Robin nodded. "Thanks, Sumia."

"W-wait!" Lucina protested.

"Is… something the matter?" Sumia asked her daughter.

"Can we… I mean… um…" Lucina stammered. She couldn't meet her parents' eyes. Her face had turned a deep crimson color. "I… is it fine if the two of us… share a room?" She almost whispered the last part of her question.

Chrom's eyes slightly twitched. "Don't push your luck, young lady. Let's take it a step at a time."

"D'aww!" Sumia giggled. "When did my daughter become such a cute little, blubbering, pile of mush?"

Her expression suddenly turned more serious. "But your father's right. I think it would be better if you two had your seperate rooms."

Lucina's shoulders sank. She was feeling quite sullen about having her proposal rejected. She wanted to argue with her parents. After all, when her mother was her age, her parents had already consummated their marriage. And that wasn't even what she had on her mind! She simply wanted to be able to fall asleep next to Robin. But at the same time, she felt that if she argued too hard, her father might become upset and forbid her from seeing Robin at all. She bit her lip, and decided to stay quiet… for now.

Robin turned towards her and touched her cheek with the other hand that was not being clung onto. "It's fine. We'll have plenty of time to spend together. The war's over, and I doubt we're going to be hurrying back to Ylisse. We can probably afford to take our time going home. I think it's what everyone deserves for going through what we had just gone through."

"Robin's right about that one." Chrom agreed. "There's no reason for us to run ourselves back to Valm Harbor. It would definitely not make me a popular leader if we were to do so. You have my word. You two will have plenty of time to… get to know each other on our journey back home."

"Well then…" Lucina murmured. "Would it be fine for our rooms to be close to each other?"

Robin turned towards Chrom. The Exalt gave a nod. "Sure, that's a much more acceptable proposal."

"All right then, we'll be off." Robin smiled as he waved Chrom and Sumia goodbye with his free hand. "Thanks, once again."

"It's no problem!" Sumia waved back cheerfully. "You two DO look so cute together, by the way!"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Lucina felt her knees give out for a moment from embarrassment. There was only so much she could handle. After all, she felt as if she had felt more embarrassed in the past hour than what she had felt in the past several years combined. It was just a short moment, but she had basically put all her weight onto Robin's arm, which caused him to notice.

"Are you…" he whispered.

"I'm fine." Lucina insisted, whispering back to her new boyfriend.

Robin shrugged. "If you say so, I guess."

"Take care." Chrom told them as they exited the room.

"Lucina…." Robin began as soon as the two of them were alone once again. "We don't have to rush anything. I'm more than fine with taking it slow."

"I'm sorry." Lucina lowered her head. "I didn't mean to make an inappropriate suggestion. It's just… I wanted…"

Robin could see her begin to tear up. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I'm not upset at all. In fact, I think that it would be nice to sleep together… in the future. But right now, it might be a little bit too soon."

"I know…" Lucina mumbled. "It's just… I've been having so many nightmares lately… I was kind of hoping that… well… that if I were to sleep next to you, even if I were to have nightmares, I'd wake up and realize that everything would be fine."

"Well, couldn't you just tell yourself that?" Robin asked. "And even if I'm not directly next to you, you could always come find me. Even in the middle of the night."

"Yes, well… then I'd disturb YOUR sleep." Lucina pointed out. "I just want to be able to wake up next to you. Your presence, by itself, is very comforting."

At this, Robin began to laugh.

"Did I… say something funny?" Lucina asked with a worried expression on her face.

"No, no. Sorry." Robin apologized. "It's just… you seem like a completely different person when you're on the battlefield. When you're in a fight, you seem to so ferocious… like the only thing in the world that matters is killing the person directly in front of you. But off the battlefield, you're actually pretty meek."

"Do you… dislike that?" Lucina asked hesitantly.

"Not really." Robin admitted. "It's just surprising… and different, that's all."

"In the future… the rest of my friends all looked up to me to lead them." Lucina told him. "Partially because I was the oldest, but partially because I was in the royal family as well. In order to win the trust of everyone, I HAVE to seem courageous and in control while fighting. And, truth be told, it's pretty easy to do when your life and the lives of all your friends hangs in the balance."

"I understand." Robin stopped walking and pulled her into a hug. "Since you feel comfortable enough to let your guard down, then I have to make sure you have no reason to put it back up again. And besides… I'm glad I get to see your softer side as well. "

Lucina closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Robin as well. "Thanks… once again… that's all I can say to you."

After around a minute or two, Robin finally broke their embrace. "Lucina… these two rooms are right across from each other." he gestured to two of the available rooms. "Why don't you take your pick first? I'll be right next to you if your nightmares wake you up in the middle of the night."

Lucina nodded. "Then… I guess I'll pick this one."

"Sure." Robin gave her a kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you at dinner then."

Lucina nodded as she opened the door on their right hand side and walked in, giving Robin one last glance over her shoulder when she did so. She had a small smile on her face.

"I guess this one's for me then." Robin smiled to himself as he claimed the left room.

**The Following Day…**

Walhart officially declared the Valmese Empire's surrender. Unfortunately for Robin, this meant that he had to take part in many meetings and conferences in order to properly discuss the details of the surrender. As a result, he was unable to see Lucina for most of the morning.

However, Walhart was proving to be quite cooperative and conceded to most of the demands made by the parties harmed by his conquest. The one demand that he refused to comply to was that he step down from the Valmese throne. However, this wasn't a major issue, because Chrom and Ylisse supported Walhart's stance on this one demand. Regna Ferox naturally sided with Ylisse, and Flavia gave her support towards Walhart keeping his seat as well. Virion also agreed to this, provided that the lands that used to belong to Rosanne. However, the one that had shocked the most people was Say'ri's stance. As the sister of Yen'fay, and as the leader of the resistance of the southlands, she was given authority over Chon'sin. However, even though Walhart had been the one to kill her parents, she also seemed to side with the Ylisseans on this issue.

The other parties, namely, the other regions of the southlands, did not play as large of a role in the defeat of the Valmese empire, so they could only bite their tongues and retract this one demand.

Overall, the meetings actually were extremely productive, and the details of the surrender were agreed upon relatively quickly by all parties involved. With that out of the way, Chrom decided that they would depart from Castle Valm this afternoon and begin to head home for Ylisse. They didn't need to rush the journey, but Chrom had decided that they should begin marching at the very least.

The other parties also decided that it was about time for them to head home as well. A few of them were suspicious about Walhart's intentions, but they decided to let it go. After all, Valm was now a small nation once again, and it wouldn't be able to support an army quite as large as what Walhart was able to achieve during his conquest. Furthermore, many of the other regions would keep their guard up against Valm in the future, so the sudden invasion that worked to Walhart's favor would likely not happen a second time. One by one, the other groups left Castle Valm as soon as negotiations were over.

The shepherds were just about to leave as well. Anna was just doing the final checks on all of their carts to make sure they didn't leave anything behind. Chrom was standing towards the front of the train of carts, and was talking with Robin. Lucina was standing close besides them.

Suddenly, Say'ri approached them.

"Sir Chrom! Sir Robin!" Say'ri exclaimed. "Prithee, allow me to accompany you to the coast. 'Twould be an honor to be able to see off the ones to bring salvation to our lands."

"Say'ri!" Robin smiled. "While the sentiment is quite appreciated, I do not believe it is necessary. We'll make our way to Valm Harbor rather slowly, and we can't really demand you to give up that much of your time."

Chrom nodded in agreement. "Aren't the other dynasts already headed home?"

"Aye." Say'ri nodded. "Many of them are, but I thought it would be best to accompany you all one last time."

"You'll be away from home for another period then." Robin frowned. "Don't you miss home?"

"Aye, sir." Say'ri sighed. "But without your help, I may not have a home to return to in the first place. While I do miss it, I also think it is my duty to see this to the end. Once your ships set sail, I'll return home."

"Very well then." Chrom smiled. "First, we'll head to the northeast, towards Rosanne. We'll drop off Virion and Cherche, and then head towards the southeast, to Valm harbor. Now that Walhart has returned the lands he took from Virion, he's elected to stay and help rebuild."

"Sure." Say'ri agreed immediately. "I'm ready to leave at a moment's notice." She gave a nod of acknowledgement towards Robin and Lucina before going towards the rest of the shepherds.

**Moments Later…**

Lucina was feeling ecstatic. This was the first march in which she could walk next to Robin and openly display her affection for him. She held his hand and happily chatted with him and some of the other nearby shepherds. It was pretty clear that Robin still felt slightly awkward due to what some of the others might think, but he did his best to not show it. Lucina honestly didn't care.

The only other person that was as happy as Lucina was Virion. After spending over two years hiding away in Ylisse, he was finally able to return home. And this time, he was going to marry Cherche when he got back.

However, even though these two were especially happy, it did not mean that the others were not. The overall mood was extremely good because it was essentially the victory march as the shepherds headed back home. The nervous or solemn air was gone, and everyone was happily talking with each other. Some even sang as they walked.

They had been marching for around half a day before Chrom signaled everyone to stop for a rest. The shepherds stopped by the sides of the road, and sat under the shade of some nearby trees.

Lucina sat down next to Robin, who offered her a canteen of water to drink. She smiled and gladly accepted it. She hadn't really noticed how thirsty she was, and managed to down half the canteen immediately.

"You really need to be more mindful of your own health." Robin chuckled. "Otherwise, you could get sick. Once you begin to feel thirsty, it means you're already dehydrated."

"Thanks, I'll remember that." Lucina replied.

"Robin!" Chrom called from several meters away. He was holding what looked like a map in his hands. "Can you come over here for a moment? I need your input on something."

"I'll be right over!" Robin called as he got up. Lucina reluctantly watched him go.

Anna, who had been watching the two of them, took the opportunity to come over and sit next to the princess.

"So… I guess you and Robin are a thing now… huh?" Anna asked her.

"Yeah…" Lucina replied awkwardly. They both didn't want to meet each other's eyes.

"Well, I'd offer my congratulations, except we both know it wouldn't be genuine." Anna continued. "And I'm sure you'd understand if our positions were reversed."

"So get to the point." Lucina looked down at the canteen Robin had left her. "What do you want?"

"I don't WANT anything…" Anna replied. "Well, that's to say, what I want is out of my reach… at the moment. I made a promise that day… and so I'll keep it. I won't look to make any trouble for you or Robin."

"Thanks Anna." Lucina genuinely said.

"But…" Anna continued. "I also can't get rid of these feelings either. I'm sure you can understand." she reached over and tilted Lucina's chin so that their eyes met for the first time in their conversation. Their faces were mere inches apart. "Because of that… I won't do anything to try and break the two of you apart… but if you two ever DO break up, know that I will do everything I can to snatch Robin back up. THAT'S a promise you can expect I'll keep."

"Y-yeah…" Lucina stammered. "I understand."

"Good." Anna got up and giggled. "Now I'll go double check our supplies. One can never be so sure about these things!"

She waved Lucina goodbye, leaving Lucina slightly dumbfounded.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind." Lucina murmured to herself.

**With Robin…**

Chrom had wanted to discuss with him which path they should take on the upcoming fork in the road. One went through the mountains, but was a shorter distance. The other was a more roundabout path, but was along the plains. They were spending some time discussing the merits of both paths.

Their discussion was interrupted by Maribelle, who rushed towards them in a hurry.

"Chrom! Robin! We have to hurry!" The Valkyrie exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Maribelle?" Chrom asked in concern.

"There are people fighting just over that ridge!" Maribelle pointed to a nearby hill. "LOTS of people! Some look like civilians too!"

"Looks like it could be bandits." Robin surmised. "Perhaps they need our help."

"Shepherds!" Chrom called. "Prepare for battle!"

The shepherds, besides Sully and Vaike, all groaned at this command, believing that they wouldn't have to fight anyone on their trip back home. However, they got ready for combat just the same.

The shepherds mobilized and began to head up the hill, under the direction of Maribelle.

**Mila Shrine Ruins…**

"There's nothin' like war for the self made man! No sir!" The Hero named Xalbador laughed. "The strong rise to the top, while the high born try and keep their blue blood inside 'em."

"Hold, defiler!" An elderly man cried out as he walked out from within in the Mila shrine. "This is sacred ground! Your wickedness will be punished!"

"By who!?" Xalbador laughed. "The same gods that abandoned me when I was starving as a boy!? When you see the gods, tell 'em I said they can go rot in hell!"

With that, Xalbador swung down his tomahawk and cleaved the elderly man in two.

"Dastard!" The voice of a young man cried from within the shrine. "I'll gut ya for that!"

The voice belonged to Brady, a priest who was in his teens. He had brownish hair and a scar across his eye.

"Brady, no!" Another voice cried. "Who would tend to the injured if we lost you?"

"That's right, listen to you friend, dog!" Xalbador taunted. "Keep doing the work of women. That's all you're good for anyways!" he and his men had a good laugh at that one.

Their festivities were cut short when a bolt of lightning flew over their leader's head by a mere inch or two and hit the ground a meter away.

"Th' hell!?" Xalbador exclaimed in shock. He turned around to see a group of people that he did not recognize. One of them, a mage, it seemed, had his hand raised, with a yellow tome in his other hand. He was wearing a dark colored cloak.

"That's enough." A regal looking man with blue hair told him. "Consider that one a warning shot. Next time, he won't miss on purpose."

"You nobles!" Xalbador exclaimed, gritting his teeth. "You all think you're so high and mighty! In reality, you couldn't give a damn about your citizens if your lives depended on it!"

"Xalbador, what do we do?" One of his men asked.

"We're leaving." Xalbador told him, but he turned to the newcomers once again. "But we'll be back soon. You nobles better keep a careful eye on your heads. I'll come collect them later."

With that he stormed off.

The shepherds, seeming to have diffused the situation, entered the Mila shrine.

"We thank you for your kindness, milords!" One of the civilians told the shepherds once they had settled inside. "But, the truth is, Xalbador will return. He'll probably bring more of his men with him next time. He'll surely gut us all!"

"Don't you worry!" Maribelle exclaimed. "We're happy to help! If there's one thing that this world needs less of, it's wretched bandits."

Brady, who was busy healing someone, raised his head at the voice. "Wait… I know that voice. Is that… Ma?"

He shook his head. "I'm probably just hearin' things. Why would Ma be here of all places?" at this point, he refocused and began to work on healing the injured villagers. Once he began to work, his mind blocked out everything else, so he didn't notice the rest of the shepherds as they went around the shrine, passing out provisions to the civilians seeking asylum.

Several minutes passed before the peace was broken.

"Bandits!" Donnel cried. "They're back! An' they've got the place surrounded!"

"Then we'll just send those scallywags back to where they came from!" Maribelle responded. "Go inform Robin as quickly as possible!"

Donnel ran off to do just that.

Brady, upon hearing the voice again, decided to run over this time.

"Haw haw haw!" he laughed when he laid eyes on Maribelle. "Oh that's her. That's gotta be her!"

This behavior was immediately noticed by the Valkyrie.

"Pardon me, you mannerless cur!" Maribelle confronted him. "I'll not stand by and be laughed at by a base scoundrel of your ilk!"

"Yep, that clinches it." Brady nodded. "You must be Maribelle."

"And just how do you know that!?" Maribelle demanded. "Do you leer at me from behind the shades of whatever den of iniquity you frequent? I bid you good day!"

With that, Maribelle left without paying him a second thought.

"I guess you've always been like this." Brady chuckled to himself. "Still… it's good to see you again. And now that I've found ya, I'm afraid yer stuck with me."

**With Robin…**

Robin was busy passing some rations to some of the people in the shrine. Lucina, naturally, was standing next to him, doing the same.

"Thank you mister!" A young boy told him as Robin handed him a loaf of bread.

"My pleasure." Robin smiled at him. Lucina found herself staring at him. He wasn't just helping the civilians because it was his duty. He was genuinely happy to be able to make their lives better. Lucina really admired that in him. Not to mention, seeing him be nice to children was reminding her of her own childhood. She became lost in thought as feelings of nostalgia washed over her.

"Who is she?" A young girl asked Robin, pointing at Lucina. "She's really pretty!"

"Yeah!" The first boy agreed. "Are you two MARRIED!?"

"No." Robin chuckled. "Not yet, at least."

Lucina began to blush at the implications.

"Wow!" The boy exclaimed as he ogled Lucina.

"Charlie!" An older woman cried, dragging the boy away. "Sorry milord. He's just a boy. He doesn't know anything yet."

"No, it's quite all right." Robin assured her. "Make sure he eats well. A boy can't grow unless he's well fed."

"Yes, of course." The woman, who presumably was the boy's mother, nodded. "My thanks, milord."

Robin chuckled as he saw the woman drag the protesting boy away. Immediately, he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see that Lucina was the culprit. Her eyes were downcast.

"Do you really mean-" she began, but was unable to finish her thought before she was interrupted.

"Robin! Robin!" Donnel exclaimed as he ran towards him. "Bad news! The bandits are coming! The bandits are coming."

"Let's save this for another time." Robin told Lucina, giving her head an affectionate rub. "This sounds like it could be trouble."

He immediately took out his Hekseer and went off the find Chrom.

"What does the future hold?" Lucina sighed to herself. "For the first time in nearly a decade, I think I'm actually dying to find out."

**Moments Later…**

Robin had gotten a general grasp of the situation. It seems that Xalbador had not been kidding around. He and his men had the entire shrine surrounded. There was no way they'd be able to leave unless the shepherds fought through them all.

"How troublesome…" Robin muttered to himself.

Robin had already given orders to the shepherds, and they began to spread out to cover all of the entrances. Nearby, Chrom was ordering the civilians around.

"Make sure you stay here, in the center of the shrine!" Chrom told them. "We'll keep the fighting at the entrances, so you all should be safe as long as the shepherds are still alive. Stay here, and try not to panic. We'll send Xalbador scurrying home with his tail between his legs in no time!"

"Then our lives will be in your hands, milord." A self selected spokesperson told the Exalt. "We shall all pray for your success."

"My thanks." Chrom responded, before heading back towards Robin.

"Where do you want me?" He asked his best friend.

"I think it would be best for you to go help out at the southern entrance." Robin replied. "I'll stay here, and give commands. If one side needs help, I'll be able to rush over in no time."

"Sounds good." Chrom replied before heading off towards the south.

Robin turned back to his Hekseer. Stahl and Sully were leading the defense of the eastern entrance. They were fighting off a Paladin and a Swordmaster, while being supported from the rear by Virion and Tharja. An enemy Sniper shot at Cherche, hitting her wyvern and causing Minerva to get extremely injured.

{Lissa!} Robin called. {I need you to head towards the eastern entrance. Cherche got hit by a Sniper, so please go patch up Minerva.}

{I'm on my way!} he heard the princess exclaim.

{Cordelia, Sumia and Cherche, our enemies seem to be equipped with longbows.} Robin continued. {It will be extremely inconvenient for you all to participate in the battle. Fighting in a cramped, indoor space while our opponents have the freedom to fire at you from a long distance is not a good idea. Go to the center of the shrine and let the rest of us take care of things. Help keep the civilians calm. If we ever charge out of the shrine, I'll inform you so you can join us.}

The three fliers were clearly unhappy with the arrangement, but also knew that Robin made a good point. They begrudgingly moved further inside the shrine.

Robin took a moment to look for Lucina. She was guarding the northwestern entrance with Gregor, Donnel, Nowi and Maribelle. She seemed to be doing fine at the moment, and if she were to get injured, Maribelle would be able to heal her right away. She was currently slashing wildly at an enemy Swordmaster. Despite only wielding one sword to her opponent's two, she was both faster and stronger, and after a minute or two, scored a fatal slash to her opponent's chest.

Robin grinned. There was no need to worry about her.

He surveyed the rest of the map. Kellam was single handedly blocking off the southeastern entrance. It was a small hallway designed to be a sort of emergency exit, but none of that would matter to their attackers, and so the place still had to be well fortified. Robin almost chuckled at a Swordmaster's vain attempts at scoring a hit on Kellam through his heavy armor. Kellam eventually bashed the guy with his shield before gutting him with his heavy lance.

From a distance, a Sniper tried to shoot at the General. However, Kellam didn't fall for the provocation, and stood his ground. The Sniper wouldn't be able to deal damage to him anyways. And he knew he had Ricken behind him to back him up if anything were to happen. Although the Sniper was currently out of Ricken's range, the Sage would definitely be able to blast him if he were to get any closer.

Meanwhile, Chrom, Frederick and Vaike were doing a fine drop guarding the main entrance. The vast majority of Xalbador's troops were located near this location, and so Robin had naturally assigned the most people to guard this entrance. However, because only a couple of the bandits could approach them at a time, the fight was extremely one sided.

Aside from Cherche's accident with an enemy Sniper, the shepherds hadn't sustained any serious injuries yet. In fact, if anything, Xalbador was the one beginning to panic. After all, he's basically watching his men run themselves into the shepherds. It honestly looked like slabs of meat being run through a meat grinder.

Finally, one of his bowmen scored a lucky hit. A sharp cry of pain of a female voice could be heard from within in the temple. Xalbador grinned. 'Looks like the defense of that entrance has been weakened. Time for me to rush in and claim a kill or two for myself!'

Xalbador went off to do just that.

**Northwestern Entrance, Mila Shrine Ruins…**

"Maribelle!" Donnel screamed in concern, even while holding off an enemy Paladin. His fiance had been shot in the arm by an arrow that seemed to fly out of nowhere.

"Do not have time for the worrying!" Gregor reminded him as he held off his own opponent. "We must continue with the holding off of these evildoers, so that the others will not be making with the getting hurt!" Nowi chirped in agreement in her dragon form as he supported Gregor from behind him.

"Those scoundrels!" Maribelle gritted her teeth. "Had it been anything else, I would have been able to stay safe by being this far back. Those accursed longbowmen!"

{Robin! We need help!} Lucina frantically called. {Maribelle's been injured!}

{Cordelia's on her way.} she heard him reply in her mind. {Lissa still busy with Cherche, and Libra's in the middle of combat right now. Even though she's not as good as either of them, she still has basic proficiencies with a staff.}

Lucina sighed in relief. She was brought out of her thoughts by the jeering of a new opponent.

"Why aren't you a pretty thing?" Xalbador taunted. "Looks like this raid could be worth it after all. Now why don't you lay down your sword. Wouldn't want someone like you to get hurt accidentally."

"Are you the leader of this sorry bunch?" Lucina asked.

"Why, you're an intelligent one." Xalbador chuckled. "However, I have no use for intellect from someone like you. And if you won't get out of the way, I suppose I'll just have to put you in your place."

"I'd like to see you try." Lucina retorted.

Xalbador grinned arrogantly and charged her with his Tomahawk raised high.

However, Xalbador made several mistakes due to his pride. The first was that he naturally assumed that Lucina would not know how to fight. At least, not know how to fight very well. She was a woman, and he was a man. There was simply no way that this girl could be better in combat than him. It was science.

The second mistake was that he completely disregarded the fact that he was using a tomahawk against Lucina's Parallel Falchion. Axes are normally clumsy and inefficient against swords, and the tomahawk exaggerated these weaknesses even further when faced against a sword user in close combat.

Lucina either didn't realize these things or didn't care. She charged forward all the same. Risen or human, dead or alive, if she fought an enemy, she'd fight to kill.

Xalbador didn't realize something was off until his first few swings all missed. But by then, it was too late. Lucina had already dodged to his side, and swiped out with her sword multiple times. Each time Xalbador took a slash to his torso, he could feel himself losing the ability to fight back.

After several exchanges, Xalbador fell to one knee, leaning on his tomahawk for support.

"How… how is this possible?" he groaned.

Lucina ignored him. Her past encounters with the Risen have made her completely numb in regards to feeling sympathy for her opponents. Without saying a word, she walked over and slashed Xalbador across the throat.

"I'll… see you… in hell…" Xalbador croaked before he fell over, dead.

Lucina wiped her brow. "Whew, glad THAT'S over. And if he truly was the leader, maybe the rest of them will begin to retreat. I wonder how Maribelle's doing? Cordelia should be there by now."

She began to walk back into the shrine.

However, when she glanced at Maribelle, she found a figure that was obviously NOT Cordelia tending to Maribelle's injuries. For starters, this figure was a man, or rather, a boy. Even more surprising, it was a boy she recognized. Although Cordelia was standing off to the side, she clearly was just letting the boy do the staff work, possibly because he was more skilled at it.

"Aww Ma!" Brady exclaimed regretfully. "This ain't anyway for our reunion to turn out! Ya can't just let ordinary brigandes get the better of ya! How'd you survive for that long in the future anyways? Must've been th' work o' uncle Robin!"

"Quit your incessant ramblings!" Maribelle retorted, clearly not paying attention to what the boy was saying. "Don't expect me to offer you anything in return either!"

"Brady!?" Lucina exclaimed in shock. "What in Naga's name are YOU doing here?"

The boy in question looked up at her. "Why, if it ain't Lucina!" he exclaimed with a broad smile. "Seems my luck is pretty good today! I guess that clinches it… this group IS the shepherds!"

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize them." Lucina admitted. "But, you've always been thickheaded."

"HEY!" Brady protested. "I was too busy tryna tend to th' injured! Ya can't blame me for focusin' on m'work!"

"All right, you have a good point." Lucina smiled at her childhood friend. "You ARE talented with a staff."

"So Lucina, you know this filthy wretch?" Maribelle asked.

"Aww Ma!" Brady protested. "That's harsh, even from you."

"Wait… Ma?" Maribelle asked. "I'm sorry, but I can only heal physical ailments. You're clearly a deeply troubled individual whose diseased mind is beyond my healing."

"Stop talking for a minute an' look at this!" Brady exclaimed, taking off a ring and showing it to her.

"That ring!" Maribelle exclaimed, instantly recognizing it. "Then… that makes you…"

"Yes, Ma!" Brady nodded. "That's just what I was tryna say! I'm-"

"A thief!" Maribelle interrupted. "A rapscallion! A common lowborn cutpurse! How dare you come here and steal my beloved possessions!"

"Gawds!" Brady exclaimed in exasperation. "Quit yer bleatin' for one blessed second an' check yer own ring!"

Maribelle glanced at her hand. "Oh. It's still here."

"And the fact that I know Lucina should indicate somthin'." Brady continued. "That clear things up any, Ma?"

A look of realization crossed over Maribelle's face. "Everything, save how I gave birth to a common thug!"

"Yeesh!" Brady exclaimed. "I may not be the prettiest guy around, but I AM your son! ...And it's also good to see you… again."

"How did I ever permit my child to refer to me as 'Ma'?" Maribelle asked herself as she facepalmed.

"You gave up tryin' after a decade or so." Brady informed her.

"Well can you at least ride?" Maribelle asked. "Have you read the classics? Do you play violin? Chess?"

"Yes, yes, yes an' yes." Brady told her. "All of th' above. You beat all'a that junk into me."

"Glory be!" Maribelle sighed in content. "My son is salvageable after all! And don't worry dear, now that mother's here, I'll take care of things from now on."

"Thanks, Ma!" Brady smiled, wiping a stray tear away from his eye.

"So, Brady," Lucina continued. "Is anyone else with you?"

Brady frowned. "No, I'm 'fraid not. Got separated from th' rest'o them. An' can you really blame me? I was frickin thirteen when we got to this time! I was too busy just tryna survive, and didn't have th' time or money to even begin to look for everyone else."

"How unfortunate." Lucina sighed.

"What about you?" Brady asked. "Who else is with us?"

"No one." Lucina replied glumly. "It's just me. And you now, I guess."

"Well gosh darn, that's no good!" Brady exclaimed. "I mean, I guess it feels nice bein' the first one found an' all, but the fact yer all here means the war with Valm is prolly goin' on. We could use everyone's help!"

"Actually, dear." Maribelle interrupted. "The war is already over. We defeated Walhar, and we're on our way back to Ylisse. It seems the news hasn't traveled here yet."

"What!?" Brady exclaimed. "That means… we missed the entire war?"

"Yeah." Lucian shrugged. "But the shepherds still managed to win. After all, they already did it once before."

"Gosh darn it!" Brady exclaimed in rage. "I woulda loved to see ol' Pops in action! That man was a livin' legend! Or… IS a livin' legend, I guess."

"Oi!" A gruff voice called to them. "The bandits are making with the retreating!" Gregor laughed as he walked back inside the shrine.

"Them little piggies are squeakin' back to their hideout, methinks!" Donnel agreed.

"Pops!" Brady exclaimed as he tackled Donnel in a hug. He began to sob. "Oh Pops, how I missed ya!"

"Er… Maribelle?" Donnel asked awkwardly. "What's this guy's problem? I ain't never seen a guy like this 'un b'fore!"

"He's apparently our son!" Maribelle informed him. "And I think I now know the reason behind his speech impediment. I hope you're ready to face your… consequences."

Donnel gulped at the venom that seemed to be dripping from her voice. "Yes ma'am! Sorry ma'am!" he hurriedly said.

Lucina brought a hand to her mouth to cover the smile that was beginning to form from the antics of Brady's family reunion. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Robin?" Lucina asked, turning around.

"That's me." Robin grinned. "The rest of the bandits are retreating. I think their leader was killed."

"Yeah, I think I might have killed him." Lucina nodded.

"Nice work." Robin gave her a thumbs up. "Chrom's talking with the civilians. Apparently, they're scraping together something to give us as a thanks for our help. After that, we'll be on our way."

It was then that Robin noticed Brady sobbing into Donnel's chest.

"Uhm... " Robin pointed to them. "Can you explain what that is?"

"Oh, him." Lucina giggled. "That's Brady, Donnel and Maribelle's son. He came to the future with me. Let me introduce you to him."

"Hey Brady!" Lucina called. "Here's someone else you'll no doubt remember!"

Brady looked towards Lucina, and saw Robin standing next to her.

"Uncle Robin!" Brady continued to sob as he ran over and gave him a hug as well. "Oh, I missed ya too, gosh darn it!"

"U-uncle!?" Robin exclaimed in shock, which caused Lucina to giggle some more.

"That's what most of my friends refer to you as." she explained. "And you DID spent a significant amount of time with all of us."

"I still 'member the arithmetic tricks ya taught me!" Brady continued to sob. "Never got t' tell you this, but they saved me from a serious beating from m' Ma!"

"Well, it seems like I was certainly a well respected guy in the future…" Robin chuckled nervously.

"Robin!" Chrom called from far away.

"All right, it looks like Chrom is almost finished." Robin said out loud. "That means we're almost ready to hit the road again. We'd better introduce Brady to him before we do."

"Yeah, you bet!" Brady exclaimed, clearly happy to have found his parents and Lucina again.

**Brady: HP: 65% Str: 50% Mag: 55% Skl: 45% Spd: 50% Luck: 80% Def: 35% Res: 50%**

**Age: 15**

**Class: Priest**


	33. Wings of Justice

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello everyone, I am back! First, I must apologize, as I broke my upload pattern seemingly randomly. I was on a family vacation the past few weeks (with my family), and so I haven't had the time to write. I wanted to have this chapter finished before then in order to be able to give a warning, but unfortunately, I was unable to finish it in time. **

**That being said, many of the children chapters will be located in places that make sense for them to flow into the story. This means that some of the places where these things happen will be different than where the map appears on the Awakening World Map. Most of you readers probably don't care, but I feel I still needed to put this somewhere.**

**That's pretty much all for now. Enjoy Chapter 33:**

**With Robin…**

As the shepherds continued to march towards Rosanne, Brady found himself the center of attention amongst the rest of the shepherds. They had gotten used to the fact that Lucina had come from the future, but the presence of Brady seemed to refresh this sentiment. And so for the past few hours, everyone had been pestering him, and by extension, Maribelle and Donnel.

Brady, who was never the incredibly social type, looked like he wanted to find a rock to crawl under. Lucina giggled at her friend's plight.

"What's so funny?" Robin asked, standing next to her.

"Brady has never liked being the center of attention." Lucina explained, still holding onto his hand. "And he tells me that's why he decided to become a priest. That way, he can support everyone without the need to be all flashy."

"That's admirable." Robin nodded.

"And he's really skilled too!" Lucina added. "At least, based on his age. Honestly, he's probably better with a staff than I am with a sword."

"Really?" Robin asked dubiously. "He must have an extraordinary amount of talent then."

"Well. he IS Maribelle's son, so I guess some of it has rubbed off on him." Lucina noted. "And he also learned a thing or two from aunt Lissa. And our parents... well, the shepherds really influenced the rest of us. And that includes you, Robin."

"And what do you mean by that?" Robin asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing." Lucina giggled. "Nothing at all."

"Well, that's quite helpful of you then." Robin frowned.

"I'm sure they'll all be willing to tell you the details if you wanted to ask them." Lucina smiled innocently.

**Some Time in the Distant Future, In the Ylissean Castle Courtyard…**

"I hate 'em! Hate 'em, hate 'em, HATE 'EM!" a young Brady exclaimed as he smashed his stick against the ground in anger. "They ain't never takin' me seriously!"

"What's wrong, Brady?" A voice called out to him. Brady looked up to see Robin smiling down at him, clearly amused by the seven year old's temper tantrum.

"It's THEM!" Brady complained. "Inigo, Gerome and Owain! They ain't never lettin' me play with 'em! They always tell me I'm weak an' can't fight for shit!"

"Brady…" Robin said sternly and gave the boy a look of disapproval.

"Sorry uncle." Brady immediately realized his mistake. "I shouldn't have said that. But it's what they told me!"

"Setting that aside, have you ever wondered WHY they keep telling you that?" Robin asked. "I mean, why do they only say that to you, and not to each other?"

"'Cause I ain't no good with a sword." Brady admitted. "Owan and Inigo would beat me in a fight in two seconds flat! 'Specially Owain! His ol' man trains 'im in the basics o' sword fighting, while my ol' Pops refuses to teach me! How is that fair!?"

"Well, not all boys are meant to be soldiers." Robin chuckled.

"Hey!" Brady complained. "Don't make fun o' me! I want to be strong like the rest o' 'em! I want to be able to beat down th' bad guys an' be the hero too!"

"There are many ways to be a hero, Brady." Robin smiled at the boy's naive thinking. "You don't always have to be a warrior in order to become one."

He frowned, finally noticing a large scrape on Brady's arm. It's clear that the wound had not been tended to by a healer yet.

"What's this?" Robin asked Brady, grabbing the boy by the arm.

"Oh that?" Brady looked at the wound. "Ain't nothin'! Just got it scraped earlier while I was playin' with the others."

"And why haven't you gotten it looked at yet?" Robin asked.

"Cause." Brady told him. "My Ma told me that it ain't worth her time to heal these kind o' wounds. She says I should avoid playin' too rough in the first place. An' so if Ma finds out, she'll swat me again. But it's fine. It'll heal up real good in a day or two."

"Brady, let me take a look at that." Robin pulled the boy's arm towards him. He took a good look at the wound.

"That's no good." Robin finally said. "If you don't get it healed up, it could get infected. Worst case scenario, you could even die from it."

"Yer jokin' me!" Brady protested. "It's not THAT serious! It's just a small scrape!"

"Small scrapes can still get infected." Robin told him sternly. "C'mon, let's go find Lissa. I'll make sure she doesn't say a word to Maribelle."

"Ya mean it?" Brady asked.

"Definitely." Robin nodded. "And remember what I told you, Brady. There's more than one way you could be someone's hero. Tending to the weakened and injured like Lissa or your mother is one of these other ways. If everyone's a fighter, then there's no one to turn to if any of you get hurt."

"All right, I'll think about it." Brady agreed as they began to walk inside the castle.

Brady didn't know it yet, but he was about to ask Lissa, and eventually his mother to teach him how to use a healing staff. Both shepherds were more than happy to teach the young boy everything they knew. Brady was talented in this area, and picked up almost everything in the next few months. It was a good thing too, because this was all the time there was before both his mentors were forcibly taken away from him. In a way, the ability to use a staff was the last thing his mother ever gave to him.

**The 'Present', Later That Night…**

It was currently dinnertime.

Robin was in the dining hall, sitting next to Lucina and Brady. Obviously, Lucina would be eating with him, but she had also asked Brady to sit with them as well. They hadn't seen each other in over two years after all.

They mostly chatted about everything that had happened to themselves during the two years in which they had been separated. Robin almost felt like he was intruding upon a personal conversation, but when he tried to get up and leave, he was stopped by Lucina. She had a look on her face that clearly read 'please don't go', and so Robin could only sigh and sit back down.

Brady didn't seem to have much of anything to share. He mostly found himself on the continent of Valm with very little way to make enough money to survive, let alone think about traveling back to Ylisse to find his parents. He eventually found a place at the Mila Shrine, where he could use his healing abilities to earn some coin and put some food in his stomach.

He was more excited about hearing Lucina tell him about the shepherds and their war against Valm. Of course, Brady already knew of what had happened in general, but now he could know some of the details, thanks to the fact that Lucina had now witnessed it for herself. Sure, it may have been slightly different than what had happened in their own timeline, but it couldn't have differed by that much.

Towards the end of their meal, Brady had a general understanding of what had transpired, and couldn't help but feel impressed by his parents and the other shepherds.

"So the two of y'all seem awful close." Brady noticed. "What happened? You two an item now or somethin'?"

"Y-yeah." Lucina admitted bashfully. She squeezed her hands between her legs and looked downwards.

"Ha ha!" Brady laughed. "Gawds, that's great! I'm happy for ya, Lucy!"

Robin didn't say anything, but scratched the back of his head. The two of them were almost talking about him like he wasn't sitting right next to them.

"How long have you two been t'gether then?" Brady continued.

"Just a few days." Lucina bit her lip.

"Well, uncle Robin," Brady finally addressed the tactician, but paused immediately. "Huh. I guess it's kinda weird to call ya uncle then… but no matter. You should know that Lucina's been wishin' for ya for quite some time now. I can tell she's happy as a-"

"B-brady!" Lucina protested. She stood up and reached across the table to cover her friend's mouth. Sure, she was used to all of the teasing from her friends, especially when it came to her crush on Robin, but usually it was Inigo, Owain, Cynthia and Severa who brought it up. And, not to mention, it was never in front of Robin himself. Needless to say, it came as a surprise to Lucina that Brady would bring the subject up at all.

"Oh yeah?" Robin chuckled. No matter how many times he'd be told, this fact would always come as a surprise to him, if he stopped to really think about it. He had to admit, Lucina seems cold and distant if you only saw her from a distance, but in actuality, it was really easy to get her all embarrassed and flustered.

Robin looked around and found that most of the shepherds had already left the mess tent. The only people left were Kellam and Miriel, who were cleaning the dirty dishes. It did make sense. After all, Brady and Lucina had been doing a lot of talking and not necessarily a lot of eating when everyone else was still here. He had finished a long time ago, but he remained seated next to them.

"We should hurry up." Robin reminded the second generation shepherds. "They've already started cleaning the dishes. It'd be a shame to bring them more things to clean after they already think they're finished."

"R-right!" Brady nodded and immediately began to wolf down the rest of his food. It wasn't that difficult for him to do. While certainly not a meal fit for a king, it was still better than what he was used to eating in the past couple years.

Lucina did something similar. Eventually, both of them finished, and the three of them brought their dirty dishes to the kitchen.

They stepped out of the mess tent to find that both campfires had already been started. While a familiar sight to both Robin and Lucina, Brady did not understand what was going on.

"What's happenin'?" Brady asked.

"Ah, the shepherds split into male and female groups in order to socialize by the fire after dinner." Robin explained. "It's not mandatory, but unless you had something extremely important to do, people usually don't miss it. The male campfire is over there." Robin pointed towards their left side. "I think I'm going to join them. If you want, I can take you there with me."

"Sure, that sounds dandy!" Brady agreed, and prepared to leave with Robin.

Before leaving, Robin held both of Lucina's hands in his own. He leaned down and pecked her on the cheek. "Sleep well. That's in case I don't get another chance to see you tonight."

"T-thanks, you too." Lucina mumbled. It was already fairly dark outside, so Robin couldn't know for sure, but he swore that she must have been blushing while she replied.

With that, Robin placed a hand on Brady's shoulder and guided him towards the campfire. Lucina couldn't hear too clearly, but they were talking about something, presumably about the details of their campfire.

Lucina sighed as she brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. She was so glad that she was finally with Robin now. And to a certain extent, she didn't actually believe it was real.

"I'll have to make sure not to do anything that would make him regret this." She whispered to herself.

With that on her mind, Lucina made her way to the female's campfire.

**The Next Day…**

After having a decently large breakfast, the shepherds set out further into Rosanne again. They had crossed the border already, but they still had a way to go before they reached the city where Virion resides in.

"How much longer do you think?" Chrom asked Virion as they marched towards a small town. Seeing as there weren't any roads that went around it, Chrom led the shepherds towards the main street that went through the town instead. Robin could see all sorts of merchants and vendors doing business as the shepherds passed through the town.

"I'm beginning to recognize some of the landscape." Virion responded. "And according to my beloved Cherche, we are only about a day's march away from home."

"That's good." Robin nodded. "It must feel nice to return home."

"Indeed." Virion agreed. "There is much to do in terms of reparations, however. Walhart has ravaged the lands he conquered during his conquest, and it will take some time before things in Rosanne revert back to what it was like several years ago."

"I have no doubt that you'll be able to make it happen." Chrom patted the Sniper on the shoulder.

Suddenly, Robin noticed some of the vendors flash the shepherds some weird glances. It looked as if it were due to distrust, and even possibly fear. Robin furrowed his eyebrows. Without realizing it, his grip on Lucina's hand tightened.

"Is something wrong?" Lucina asked, noticing the uneasy look on Robin's face.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." Robin quickly responded. "It's just… the whole atmosphere… it feels… not quite right."

He was jostled out of his thoughts by Chrom.

"The harvest must have just come in!" The Exalt noted. "I'd wager there's some good eating to be had!"

"Count me in!" Lissa immediately chirped. "I'm always ready to try some new foods!"

"This one over here looks pretty good!" Chrom had a smirk on his face as he approached a food stand.

"Ch-chrom..." Sumia sighed, but knew there was nothing she could do to stop her husband at this point.

The man running the stand greeted him as Chrom approached. "Hello Sir! Welcome to the-"

Suddenly, he seemed to recognize the man in front of him. The Villager's eyes widened as panic seemed to suddenly set in.

"ACK! Y-you're… you're the…" The man stammered before quickly packing everything up.

"U-um…" Chrom deadpanned, not knowing what was going on.

"I-I'm terribly sorry!" The man apologized. "But we're closed! Sorry about that!"

The man left as quickly as he possibly could have.

"Well that was… odd." Chrom muttered to himself. "I wonder what was up with that? I guess we'll have to try somewhere else."

However, regardless of which vendor Chrom tried to approach, the results were the same. Each and everyone in the village seemed to recognize him, and refused to sell their services to any of the shepherds. Not even Virion, who technically owned Rosanne, received a warm reception from the villagers. Chrom was understandably puzzled by all of this, and so the shepherds decided to take a bit of time to investigate why the villagers were acting this way. After all, this was the first time the shepherds had been in this particular town, so there wasn't a possibility that they've already offended them.

Frederick was the first person among the shepherds to have any luck determining the reason behind all of this.

"I did some investigating, milord." The Great Knight reported as he approached Chrom. "It seems that a nasty band of rogues have been harrying them without pause for some time. Apparently, they are led by a man… masquerading as you."

"Of course." Chrom sighed. "So that's what this is about. Any idea where they are?"

"It seems like they have taken up camp just north of here." Frederick replied. "In the forest."

"Then so shall we." Chrom said with conviction. "If they've been using my name to do harm to the villagers, then it's only right for us to set things straight. Let me go find Flavia. She and the other soldiers can afford to rest and eat in the town while the shepherds go and take care of this. I highly doubt we need an army to get rid of a band of brigandes."

"Aptly put, milord." Frederick agreed.

**Nearby Forest…**

A trickster who had facial features that closely resembled Chrom laughed to himself. Short of the Exalt's Blue hair, it was genuinely reasonable for someone who was not close to Chrom to mistake him as the rightful ruler of Ylisse. Though Ruger wasn't born into nobility, he at least at this trait. He and his band of brigandes have been terrorizing and profiting off of the nearby civilians, all while using Chrom's name.

"Another fine haul!" Ruger exclaimed. "Long live the great Chrom!"

"Chrom? Father? Faaaather!?" A young female voice called out. Ruger turned around just in time to see a teenage girl with blue hair dismount from her pegasus. "Pegasus Knight, Cynthia, returned from patrol, sir!"

"Out with it!" Ruger demanded. "What did you see?"

"A suspicious band of travelers have been making some inquiries in the nearby town." Cynthia replied. "And what's more, their leader is someone named Chrom! I suspect that they are imposters posing as you, sir. They must be stopped at once, father!"

Ruger frowned at the girl. "What did I tell you about calling me that in front of the others?"

"E-eep!" Cynthia flinched. "S-sorry father! I mean, Chrom! Milord! ...It won't happen again."

Although Ruger still appeared confident on the outside, he was actually absolutely terrified on the inside.

'If this is the actual ruler of Ylisse, and he comes with the intention of killing me for my crimes, then I may as well be done for!' he thought to himself in panic. However, his extensive experience in acting as a conman allowed himself to calm down and think things through rationally. 'Still, if he has found out about my existence, then I would have no choice but to kill him. He wouldn't let someone impersonating him run around freely, after all. Although, this may pose a problem when Ylisse finds out that the real Chrom is dead.'

Ruger thought through things quickly. 'That's a problem for the future. Right now, I just need to focus on defeating him and surviving. This girl though… if she finds out the truth… no. She won't. Chrom will be dead by the end of the day. Afterwards, we can just have the boys kill her and leave her body for the wolves. She'll have exhausted her usefulness by then, anyways. Ideally, we can have her fight on the frontlines, and with a little good fortune, she'll be killed by the enemy forces. Regardless, we'll get out of this one no problem.'

Reaching this conclusion, Ruger smiled. "Prepare the forces." He told to Cynthia. "You will lead them against these imposters."

"R-really!?" Cynthia exclaimed in excitement. "You're letting ME lead the battle?"

"Yes, yes." Ruger waved a hand at her. "I am quite confident in your abilities. Make me proud."

"Of course father! I mean, sir!" Cynthia saluted. "I'll set off to make preparations right away!"

With that, Cynthia flew off to rally the rest of the brigandes.

"Gads, she's dumb as a brick." Ruger muttered to himself. "Good thing her spear is sharper than her wit. Still… it's good she stopped ranting about hailing from the future…

"Ruger!" This time, it was one of Ruger's own men that called him. "We've spotted a band of mercenaries near our position!"

Ruger internally panicked. "Who is their leader? It's not Chrom, is it?"

"No." The man replied. "They're just some sellswords who happen to be in the area."

Ruger let out a sigh of relief. "It seems as if luck really smiles upon me today!" he said to himself. "A few pretty lies, and I'll have the lot o' them fighting for me!"

He went off towards the direction his man told him about. Ruger had some mercenaries to con.

**Moments Later, with the Shepherds…**

The shepherds were marching through the forest. Everyone had their eyes and ears peeled for any signs of the enemy. Technically speaking, while it wasn't irrational for them to do this, it was also somewhat unnecessary. Robin would pick up any lifeforms that could potentially be a threat with his Hekseer after all.

Sure enough, Robin soon saw many of the brigandes lying in wait.

"Everyone, there are hostile fighters right in front of us." Robin whispered to Chom and the rest of the shepherds. "We'll split into three groups. I'll lead one group that will charge ahead and draw our enemies' attention. Chrom will lead a group that will wrap around the left hand side. Frederick will do the same and wrap around the right."

"Sounds like a plan." Chrom nodded. "I believe in you, but it sounds like you will have the more dangerous job this time. Be careful out there."

"You don't even need to tell me that." Robin smirked before beginning to divide the shepherds into the three groups.

Ruger's troops were in for a surprise when Stahl and Sully suddenly charged into their formation. Even though they had been the ones to set up an ambush, their orders were to wait for a nobleman with blue hair to show up. Instead, they received two riders that sped forward without a care in the world, straight into their lying ambush.

Stahl stabbed downwards with his lance, impaling some of the brigandes lying in wait against the ground. A Sniper stood up and aimed at the rampaging Paladin, which was not a very intelligent move. This allowed Sully to swoop in and cleave her axe across the man's chest, killing him instantly.

Still, the brigandes found that it was impossible to retaliate against them while lying on the ground. However, as soon as they stood up, their positions were revealed, and they immediately began to get bombarded by dark magic, courtesy of Henry and Tharja. One of the Heroes managed to dodge out of the way, but the Flux spell flew past him and hit a Berserker instead. Robin also pitched in and threw out a spell or two, being careful not to cast them anywhere near where their allies were.

Stahl and Sully, along with the magical support they receive, were able to cause even more disarray within the enemy forces. With this much confusion going on, Lucina and Olivia were able to easily slip in among the chaos and silence some more of Ruger's troops. Lucina dashed in and slashed down one brigand after another with her Parallel Falchion, while Olivia moved around fluidly, slashing with her sword in one hand while stabbing with her dagger in the other hand. Libra, while moving slower than the two aforementioned ladies, rushed forward as well, and began to implement the hurt with the help of his silver axe.

Soon, the enemy forces in this area recognized that the situation was extremely unfavorable, and some of the brigandes began a hasty retreat. Although Robin, Tharja and Henry were unable to reach that far with their tomes, Olivia, who had run forward to be in melee range, simply pocketed her weapons and pulled out the bow strapped to her back. It was nothing fancy or heavy like Virion's bows. Arrows shot by him could shoot down a grown Wyvern. However, her bronze bow was lightweight and easy to carry and use, which was extremely useful for someone like her, who had to be able to move around a lot during a fight.

Although she wasn't able to kill many of the retreating brigandes, she certainly hit many of them. In some cases, the wounds they received from Olivia's arrows caused them to either fall or slow down severely. This allowed Stahl and Sully to quickly catch up to them and kill off their wounded enemies.

"Robin!" Lucina called backwards. "It seems we have a large amount of movement to our two sides!"

"I think it might be more enemies coming this way!" Olivia called out as well. She tried to hide it, but the pinkette was feeling slightly nervous at the prospect of being sandwiched between two large groups of enemies.

"Perfect." Robin calmly responded. "The plan is going just as expected."

"U-um… really?" Olivia squeaked. "N-not that I'm doubting you, Robin, but our group isn't very big. I-I think the reason we won was because we took them by surprise."

"Don't worry!" Stahl laughed as he and Sully rode back to meet up with them. "Weren't you paying attention? Chrom and Frederick are leading the other two groups as we speak!"

"I KNOW that, Stahl!" Olivia protested. "I was listening! But I'm just worried that we can't hold off all of them while the two other groups defeat their opponents."

"Nya ha! You've got the wrong idea Livvie!" Henry chimed in. Olivia blushed ever so slightly at being called a nickname in front of the others. "They're not fighting separate opponents! While our opponents might think they're surrounding US, we're actually the ones making a sandwich out of THEM! Nya ha!"

"Mmm…. Sandwiches." Stahl smiled dreamily at the mention of the food item.

"Focus, ya dimwit!" Sully exclaimed as she slapped her husband across the back of his head.

"All right, all right!" Stahl protested. "Message received!"

Robin chuckled at his friends' antics. "Still, Henry is right. Now, we just need to retreat a little bit. Our opponents will continue to rush towards this location, and once the two sides meet, we'll charge in again. They'll be under attack from three sides, and chances are, their communication and leadership will be nowhere as good as ours, so the two groups will probably be fighting separately instead of as a cohesive unit."

"Oh…" Olivia tried to picture it in her head. "I think I understand now."

"And that means we need to fall back a little." Robin continued. "At least for now."

Robin's small group did just that.

**With Chrom…**

Chrom had led his group and sneakily wrapped around to the left side of the forest. Although he could see a brigand or two lying in wait, he didn't make a move. It wasn't like they were difficult to find. They were quite noisy considering it was supposed to be an ambush, and there was no self control or discipline among them.

"Funny," Chrom whispered to himself.

"What is, Blue?" Gaius asked while lying down next to Chrom.

"A couple years ago, I would have charged forward by now. They're in a perfect position to get attacked right now. I would not have had the patience to lie here in wait." Chrom explained.

"I hear ya, Blue." Gaius nodded without taking his eyes off their enemies for a second. "Robin has thrown some bait into the water, an' it's really tempting to catch a fish or two with a fishing rod, but in doing so, you miss the opportunity to catch them all with a net."

"That…" Chrom deadpanned.

"What, too complicated for you, Blue?" Gaius casually popped a sucker into his mouth.

"No, but that's surprisingly analytical, for you at least." Chrom chuckled.

Gaius returned the laugh. "I'll be the first to admit I was never the brightest of the bunch. My previous occupation is a testament to that. However, if you look at Robin work, even if you can't grasp everything he's thinking, ya pick up a piece or two once in a while. That man truly is a monster when it comes to this kind of stuff."

"Too true." Chrom agreed.

"Don't be too loud." Nowi whispered from behind them. "The baddies will hear you, and it will ruin Robin's awesome plan!"

The two looked at each other. "You're right, Nowi." Chrom whispered back.

"My, we ALL have come a long way, it seems." Gaius smirked.

Suddenly, there was a commotion up ahead. The brigandes lying in ambush got up and began to move towards the direction of Robin and his group.

"That's our cue!" Chrom called out. "Take down as many of them as you can!"

Naturally, the opponent's frontline fighters were in the front. Well, at least they were where they thought the 'front' of the battle will be. In other words, they were on the side closest to Robin and his group. This meant that the Snipers and the rear support were directly in front of Chrom and his group, allowing them to pick up some quick kills against their unsuspecting enemies.

Gaius immediately stood up and shot a Sniper in the back, instantly killing him with his killer bow. Gregor threw a hand axe, which caught a Warrior between the shoulderblades, knocking the enemy down. Nowi went into her dragon form and began to cause all around terror with her presence, breathing fire at anyone foolish enough to stand up to her.

Vaike, along with Chrom, had instantly rushed forward to begin cutting down his opponents at close range. They were supported from the rear by Miriel and Anna. Fire magic and Levin sword blasts rained down upon their opponents.

In the air, Cordelia and Sumia, who had been flying high enough not to get noticed, descended in order to join the fray. Under Robin's orders, Chrom and his group and focused the bow wielding first, allowing for Cordelia and Sumia to be relatively safe from arrows. Cordelia proceeded to chase down lone enemies and run them through with her spear, while Sumia helped create even more chaos with her magic.

Chrom, who was currently engaged in combat with an enemy Berserker, was beginning to push ahead and give himself an edge in the fight. His sword simply moved faster than his opponent's axe, and soon, Chrom found an opening and stabbed his blade through his opponent's heart.

"You imposter!" Chrom heard a young girl shout. He barely had time to dodge out of the way before a Pegasus Knight dove him and a spear stabbed into the ground where he had been standing a second or two ago.

"What!?" Chrom asked in disbelief.

"Anyone who impersonates the great Chrom, ruler of Ylisse deserves to die!" A teenage girl on top of a pegasus yelled at him.

"N-now still your spear for a moment!" Chrom protested. "Just hear me out. You've been lied to!"

"Spare me your tales, brigand!" Cynthia exclaimed. "I've nothing to say to someone who would impersonate my father!"

"Your… what?" Chrom looked confused for a second. "Oh for the love of Naga… how many daughters are going to come back from the future to see me?"

"Huh?" Cynthia looked genuinely surprised. "H-how did you know that I…"

Chrom sighed. "I already went through this once with Lucina."

"What!?" Cynthia immediately got off her pegasus. "Lucy is here!?"

"In the flesh." Chrom smiled. "Well, not HERE, per se. She's over in that direction, fighting alongside Robin and some others. Although… she neglected to mention that she had a sister."

"Wait… then you really are..." Cynthia's eyes began to water. She ran over to Chrom and tackled him in a hug. "Oh, Father! I missed you SOOOOO much!" She practically screamed this to Chrom at point blank.

"My… ears..." Chrom complained.

"I knew something was fishy about that guy!" Cynthia exclaimed in hindsight. "He didn't even seem happy to see me at all! I can't believe I fell for that lying creep's lies! Oh, I'm going to KILL him for this! I'm going to plant a flying hoof right in his stupid lying face!"

"Don't go running off." Chrom told his daughter sternly. "We wouldn't want to ruin Robin's carefully orchestrated plan! For now, why don't you go join your mother and Cordelia?"

"Uncle Robin is here!?" Cynthia's eyes went wide. "And mother too!? Oh, this day is just getting better and better!"

"That's right, now be a good girl and go find your mother, all right?" Chrom told her.

"Yes sir!" Cynthia saluted before getting back on her pegasus and flying off to find Sumia.

"She's even flightier than her mother." Chrom chuckled. "I didn't think that was possible."

He looked back at his group. The fighting here was mostly done. Miriel was busy using a heal staff on Vaike, who had managed to get himself injured once again.

At this point, Chrom's group had already slaughtered most of their opponent's backline. The ones that had run further ahead were mostly Heroes and Berserkers. Chrom sighed, and ordered the rest of his group to begin moving back towards Robin's location. They still had to play their part in the plan, after all.

**With Frederick…**

Like Chrom, Frederick's group had executed their part of the plan and circled around to the right side. Once their opponents began to rush off, Frederick gave the signal and the rest of his group jumped out and began to beat back their opponents. Frederick and Kellam led the charge, and their heavy armor proved to be too much for their opponents to handle. Donnel, Panne and Lon'qu followed close behind, and they were supported by the combined efforts of Virion, Maribelle and Tiki.

Cherche descended, and began to cleave through her opponents with her axe and a bright smile. Lissa did the same, minus the flying part.

Soon, their opponents were in full retreat.

"Looks like Robin predicted all this." Frederick told himself. "Now all that's left to do is follow and encircle the ones that are retreating."

'Retreating? Maybe from us.' Frederick mused to himself. 'The brigandes' coordination is so bad that some of them probably think they're charging towards the enemy.'

"Hey!" the Great Knight suddenly was brought out of his thoughts by Lissa's scream.

"Milady! Are you hurt!" Frederick immediately picked up his lance and turned towards Lissa's direction. He felt one part panic and two parts relieved when he saw what had happened.

Lissa was standing over an enemy War Cleric. Her opponent had clearly been defeated, and looked up at Lissa in absolute fear.

"If your leader is trying to impersonate Chrom, then are you supposed to be impersonating ME!?" Lissa demanded. Upon closer inspection, she did look a little bit like Lissa. Just a little. However, it was nowhere near the resemblance between Ruger and Chrom. "Your portrayal of me made me QUITE the princess! All the townsfolk were scared just to see me approach them!"

"P-please! I only did what I had to do in order to survive!" The defeated girl begged. "Please don't kill me!"

Lissa's hand faltered, and she hesitated to bring down her axe. She still had a soft spot in her heart after all. Slowly, Lissa lowered her weapon. "Fine, as long as you promise not to ever do something like that again!"

The defeated War Cleric hit her smirk. "Oh I promise!" she told Lissa as she reached for her Tomahawk.

In one swift motion she got up and swung her axe in a last ditch effort to kill Lissa. However, when she finished her swing, Lissa was still alive and in one piece. The only thing that had changed was the look of horror on the genuine princess's eyes.

The War Cleric looked down at her arms to find that, while she had been holding onto her Tomahawk with a two handed grip, she most certainly was missing a pair of hands at the moment. She slowly turned her head to see Lon'qu standing next to her with his killing edge still in the air. Her hands and part of her forearms had been cleanly cut off, and were still clutching onto the weapon, which had fallen onto the ground.

The pain and shock finally set in as the War Cleric let out a loud scream.

"Be quiet." Lon'qu told her as he slashed her to death.

"L-lon'qu…" Lissa whispered.

"Don't worry. I will protect you." Lon'qu reassured her. "These brigandes do not deserve mercy. If you show any weakness or soft heartedness, they will abuse it."

"Thanks." Lissa sniffed as she buried her head into Lon'qu's chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Come." Lon'qu simply said. "We are not done yet. The battle is only half won."

"You're right." Lissa said as she wiped away a tear. "Robin is still counting on us!"

Eventually, things happened just as Robin had planned. The remaining enemy forces charged towards where they believed Robin, and the rest of their allies for that matter, were, only to find the dead bodies of their friends. The shepherds then proceeded to attack them from three sides, led by Robin, Chrom and Frederick. The morale of Ruger's troops took a severe blow, and they put up paltry resistance as they tried in vain to fight off the shepherds.

Robin looked out on the battlefield and smiled. Things were going according to plan. The brigandes had been corralled and were being slowly eliminated. Most of their Sages and Snipers had already been killed off, and so while the shepherds had the advantage in formation, they also had the advantage of having ranged units supporting their frontline fighters.

Chrom and Lucina were in the thick of things, slashing away at one opponent after the other. Gregor, Vaike, Donnel and Kellam were also in the front, hacking and slashing at their enemies. He saw spell after spell being launched towards their opponents, devastating the enemies with low magic resistance. Gaius and Olivia were also darting around, silencing anyone that became isolated in the fighting.

Suddenly, he heard Virion cry out in pain from their right side. Robin turned towards him, and found Virion on the ground with an arrow in his right side. A Ranger lowered his bow in the distance, clearly satisfied with his shot.

"Virion!" Cherche cried out in alarm.

Robin watched in surprise as a slew of mounted units rode towards them from directly ahead.

"I didn't see any cavalry units on my Hekseer!" he protested to himself. He quickly checked it again, and sure enough, there was now a large number of mounted enemies charging towards them from the north.

{Everyone! It seems to brigandes have brought in reinforcements!} Robin called to everyone. {They all seem to be on horseback. Do not be afraid. In terms of skill level, they are no better than the enemies we have already slaughtered. Don't overextend, and we will be able to eliminate them as well.}

His eyes narrowed on one lone unit to the far north of the Hekseer. "So this is where you are…" Robin smirked to himself.

{Gaius, Olivia, Cordelia, Sumia!} Robin called out. {I need you to go do something for me…}

**Moments Later…**

Unlike Ruger's forces, these mercenaries didn't have any attachment to actually willing the battle. Once their element of surprise was nullified, they were easily beaten back by the shepherds. Those that were not killed immediately went into full retreat. Pretty soon, the fighting was over.

Robin quickly rushed over to Virion, who was being tended to by both Maribelle and Lissa. The archer seemed to have fainted, or at least was unconscious at the moment.

"What's his status?" Robin asked the pair.

"The wound itself is not that big of a problem." Maribelle reported. "His life isn't in any immediate danger. However…"

"However?" Robin pressed.

"The arrow… it was poisoned." Lissa spoke up. "And not only that, but unlike the ones Virion uses, this one was barbed. It would cause more damage, and the poison would spread even more if we were to just yank it out. And even if we did, we wouldn't even be sure we could heal the wound. Some poisons act just like dark magic, and inhibit the effects of healing staves."

"Damn!" Robin gritted his teeth. Poisonous weapons were usually never used by organized armies. Most civilized fighting forces recognized the ethical conflicts with using weapons that cause injuries which cannot be healed by traditional staves. The only cure to poisoned wounds were medicine, rest, and hopefully a strong immune system. If anything went slightly awry, these wounds often ended up fatal. Usually, these types of weapons were only used by outlaws, criminals, and brigandes who have no sense of ethics.

{Chrom, Virion is in bad condition. I'm afraid we'll probably need to stay here for the night.} Robin told Chrom, but also the rest of the shepherds at the same time. {Cherche, fly into town and find Flavia. Tell them to bring the carts carrying everything to this location. We need to set up camp as fast as possible. Once they're here, prioritize setting up a medical tent.}

{R-right! I'm on it!} he heard Cherche reply. The usually composed Wyvern Lord seemed to be feeling extremely anxious, and to a certain extent, Robin could completely understand. It was her fiance that had gotten hurt after all. Although, of all the women in the camp, Robin was under the impression that Cherche was least attached to her significant other. He shrugged. That was not the important thing to do right now.

"I'm going to go collect whatever life energy I can from the corpses." Robin told the pair of healers. "I think I may be able to collect enough to heal him."

"Thanks Robin." Lissa smiled. "That skill of yours has really saved our bacon!"

"The ability to heal dark magic and poisoned wounds is extremely valuable, and the value is never lost to anyone who claims to be skilled in the usage of staves." Maribelle agreed.

"All right, I'll be back soon. Keep careful watch over him." Robin waved as he left them.

Chrom immediately realized what Robin was doing, and had Gregor and Vaike help him move some of the bodies closer to Robin. However, most of the shepherds froze and reached for their weapons when they saw some horsemen come out of the woods from the north.

"Naga, the have even more than before!" Chrom gritted his teeth.

Robin was the only one who seemed calm. "Peace, Chrom. They have no killing intent this time."

One of the Paladins dismounted. He approached Chrom and bowed. "My apologies, Exalt Chrom. Some of my men were… misinformed and were led to believe that you were impersonating the Exalt. They were promised a fair reward for helping out."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Chrom asked.

"Ah, my apologies, once again." The Paladin raised his head. "I am Dalen, the leader of the Riders of Dawn. We're a mercenary group that is currently on our way home from a mission."

"Well, sir Dalen," Robin said as he continued to work. He didn't bother looking up at him. "Were you aware that one of your men were using poisonous, barbed arrows?"

Many of the people around Robin who heard him gasped in shock. Especially the shepherds, who knew that Virion had been shot by an arrow earlier.

Dalen furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I most certainly did not." he turned to his men. "Spill it! Which one of you clowns were using poisoned arrows?"

Many of the Rangers in his group looked at each other.

"Tell me, or all of you are on latrine duty for a month!" Dalen exclaimed.

"They were given to us by the person who hired us." One of the Rangers finally said. "They aren't the ones we usually use, I swear! Who WOULDN'T jump on a chance to preserve our own arrow supply while earning some more money at the same time?"

Dalen looked extremely irritated and walked over to the man who had spoken. He proceeded to slap the man twice. "Idiot! Don't you know that you're tarnishing the name of the Riders of Dawn!?"

"S-sorry." The Ranger bowed his head.

"That's it. I've had it with you clowns. All the Bowmen who participated in combat against the Exalt's troops are on latrine duty for a week!" Dalten exclaimed loud enough for Chrom and the shepherds to hear before turning around and walking back towards Chrom. There were some grumbles among his men.

"I'm terribly sorry about that." Dalen apologized once again. "Is there anything we can do to lessen the amount of damage done due to their carelessness?"

"It's fine." Robin said coldly. "We can handle things from here."

Chrom nodded. "You mentioned you were on your way home. Go on then, we'll be staying here a while longer. Do you know who was the man that hired your Riders?"

Dalen turned to his troops. A Great Knight shrugged. "He just said his name was Chrom."

"So it's the impersonator…" Chrom frowned. "But that doesn't tell us anything."

"Don't worry about it, Chrom." Robin got up and faced him.

"And why not?" Chrom looked puzzled. "He's still out there isn't he? And as long as he is, he'll continue to cause trouble."

"I've already located him and sent someone to go deal with him." Robin explained. "Hadn't you noticed that a few of our friends aren't with us at the moment?"

The shepherds looked around and found that they were indeed missing a few people.

"Remind me never to become your enemy." Chrom chuckled.

Robin returned a smile. "While that's getting taken care of, I need to be sure I'll be able to heal Virion's wounds."

"Then I'll let you continue then." Chrom nodded as he continued to move bodies towards Robin.

"Allow my men to help you." Dalen was a little bit confused on what was happening, but he figured it was the least he could do. Besides, trying to get on the Exalt of Ylisse's good side is not a bad idea at all. With a wave of his hand, the Riders of Dawn dismounted and began to help move the bodies as well.

**Further North…**

"I have to get away from here!" Ruger exclaimed as he ran through the forest. "Those people are not men! They're monsters! How else can they defeat all of my men and all those mercenaries I hired?"

He ran further and further away from the battle. Finally, when he deemed it was safe enough to take a rest, he slumped down and sat up against one of the trees. He pulled out a canteen and began to drink from it.

"Just where do you think YOU'RE going?" Ruger heard a voice call out.

Ruger panicked, and tried to get up. However, an arrow flew towards him and lodged in the tree a mere inch from the top of his head. Ruger tried to roll to the right, but immediately stopped when a lance stabbed into the ground next to him. He looked up to see Cordelia standing over him. Ruger tried to reach for his Levin Sword.

"D-don't move." he heard a feminine voice tell him. "Unless you want me to slit your throat."

Ruger looked at his left side and found Olivia holding a dagger next to his neck.

"W-wait!" Ruger exclaimed in person. "There's been a misunderstanding! You have the wrong person!"

"Oh?" The original voice called back as he stepped out of the shadows of the trees. "Pretty sure we have the right one." Gaius told him. "Bubbles is usually always accurate when it comes to these types of things."

"No please, just hear me out!" Ruger pleaded. "I'm innocent! I had nothing to do with that battle!"

"Battle?" Gaius grinned as he squatted down in front of Ruger in order to make eye contact. "When did we ever accuse you of being a part of a battle?"

Ruger flinched, realizing he had made a serious mistake.

Gaius laughed. "Don't look so sad. We would've had other ways to figure you out anyways." the Assassin cupped one hand next to his mouth and raised his head, calling towards the sky. "Okay Stumbles! You can bring out Stumbles Junior now!"

The two pegasus riders descended from above the treetops and landed next to Ruger. Ruger's face paled when he recognized Cynthia.

"It IS him!" Cynthia exclaimed in anger. "You lied to me! You pretended to be my FATHER! All this time, I could've kept searching for him, but you LIED to me!"

"No, wait!" Ruger protested. "I-I can explain!"

"Save your breath!" Cynthia told him as she raised her spear. "Have a good time in the afterlife!" the Pegasus Knight brought down her lance and stabbed Ruger through the chest.

"I… wouldn't have… to have lived… like this… if only… I were… a… prince…" Ruger managed to get out before the life left his eyes.

"Well that was satisfying." Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come then, we shouldn't cause the others to worry." Cordelia nodded. "Let's head back."

"Yes ma'am!" Gaius agreed. The pair mounted Aurora while Olivia got a ride from Sumia and Belfire. The three pegasus immediately flew back towards the rest of the shepherds.

**Cynthia: HP: 65% Str: 50% Mag: 25% Skl: 60% Spd: 65% Lck: 75% Def: 30% Res: 45%**

**Class: Pegasus Knight**

**Age: 13**


	34. A Shot in the Dark

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello again. I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but a few weeks ago, I had changed the rating of this story from 'T' to 'M'. This was because I was not expecting to write anything that would require an M rating. However, as I'm planning out the rest of my story, I've concluded that there are some themes or scenes where a T rating is not sufficient. And so, the rating has been changed to M just to be safe.**

**That being said, there are portions in this chapter where I believe contain themes that justify an M rating. If you are extremely sensitive, I advise that you skip as many parts as needed. **

**With that, here's chapter 34:**

**Verdant Forest…**

Robin was currently alone with the unconscious form of Virion in the medical tent. Cherche had gotten the message to Flavia, and their soldiers instantly rushed over to the shepherd's location. As per Robin's instructions, they set up a medical tent first so that Virion's healing process can begin while everyone else is finishing setting up camp.

There were very few problems so far, save for Brady's complaints about being left behind with Flavia and Say'ri. Maribelle had found out that he only could wield a healing staff, and had made the decision to not allow Brady to join them in the fight with the brigandes, much to Brady's chagrin. Although on the outside she seems to think her son is a hopeless cause, from her actions, Robin could tell that she does in fact care about his well being.

Robin sighed and refocused to the task at hand. Virion's life may not be in critical danger, but it would soon be if nothing was done about his arrow wound. He had harvested a decent amount of energy from the brigandes, and Robin honestly hoped that it would be enough. With a little luck, he may not even need to deplete his own life energy this time. The last time he tried something like that, he fell unconscious. Sure, he had saved Cordelia's life in the process, but if possible, Robin would prefer to not experience a repeat of that ordeal.

Robin thought about what he needed to do. Unfortunately, there was no right way to get a barbed poison arrow out of Virion's side without further injuring him. He just needed to be fast and instantly begin to heal the unconscious Sniper as soon as he pulled the arrow out.

Robin took a deep breath and removed the arrow from Virion's side as gently as he possibly could have. He began to channel, and immediately, he began the quintessence based healing process.

In the middle of his work, the medical tent flap flew open and in walked a noticeably anxious Cherche.

"I thought I told Chrom not to let anyone bother me when I was working?" Robin half joked, not bothering to look up from his work.

"I know." Cherche sighed. "But I was just so worried about him. Both me AND Minerva. I hadn't had the chance to see him since I left to go find Flavia. Chrom told me he understands how I feel. He figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal if I were the only one. It's not like there would be a crowd of people in the tent."

"Yeah, that's definitely true." Robin agreed as he put the finishing touches on mending the wound. He turned to face Cherche for the first time since she came into the tent. Robin could tell there were some tear stains on her face. "Although… I honestly didn't expect to see you here."

"And what is THAT supposed to mean?" Cherche frowned.

"I mean no offense." Robin hastily apologized. "But among everyone, I've always had the impression that you were the… coldest towards Virion. It almost seems like you're just tolerating him."

"Yeah, I don't blame you for thinking that." Cherche sighed and looked at the ground. She spoke again after a brief moment of silence. "Hey Robin?"

"Yes?" he immediately replied.

"Can you keep a secret?" Cherche asked quietly.

"Of course." Robin nodded.

"Well, here's the thing…" Cherche began. "Back before Virion fled to Ylisse due to Walhart's conquest, I was a maid serving under him. And after some time, I began to feel something towards him. He was a fair and a just ruler, and he actually is extremely productive when he puts his mind to it, which made him attractive in the eyes of many. But he would always display affection and utilize, as he calls it, flowery language on the female maids serving him. And because he gives out compliments so frequently, it's hard to guess what he's truly feeling. Believe it or not, he's proposed marriage to me in the past before."

"You're kidding." Robin stated, genuinely surprised by this revelation.

"Of course not!" Cherche smiled nervously. "But I always turned him down in the past, because I could never trust that he was seriously into me. I always tell myself that it's something that will pass in a week or two, and that I shouldn't get my hopes up. But after he spent some time with you and the shepherds, it's like he changed."

"Changed?" Robin asked. "He seems like the same guy we met two years ago if you ask me."

"No." Cherche shook her head. "None of you could possibly know Virion as well as I do. The changes may be subtle, but they were definitely there. When he asked me this time, I felt like I could actually believe his words. It wasn't just something he was saying just to flirt with me; Virion spoke from the heart that time."

"And so you agreed because you can trust him this time." Robin nodded. "I can completely understand that then. So I guess the attitude is just a facade to hide YOUR true feelings from him then?"

"Um… yes." Cherche replied. Robin could see her cheeks turning pink, which was a sight he had never actually seen before. "But if you tell anyone, I'll deny ever saying a word to you! In fact, I'll have Minerva hunt you down and tell the others it was an 'accident'."

Robin laughed at Cherche's rather weak threat. "Don't worry, it won't ever come to that. And besides… I'm not like Nowi. I don't really enjoy gossiping or spreading rumors around. You can trust me to keep a secret."

Around fifty meters away, a certain Manakete let out a sneeze, despite the temperature being rather high. This certainly confused Nowi, but she didn't let it bother her as she continued to play hide and seek.

Cherche let out a sigh. "All right, I'll take your word for it then. And since I'm here, could you tell me how Virion is doing?"

"He'll be fine." Robin smiled as he patted the unconscious Sniper on the shoulder. "I was able to remove the poison from his body, so all that's left is the actual wound made by the arrow. It's larger than normal due to the barbs on the tip of the arrow, but it's still well within the effective range of Maribelle and Lissa's healing capabilities. Speaking of which, could you go fetch one of them please? It's impractical for me to finish the healing process with quintessence if they could just do it with a mend staff."

"Yes, of course." Cherche immediately replied as she lifted the tent flap and prepared to go out. "Thank you, Robin."

Shortly after, Lissa came into the tent and relieved Robin of duty.

"Go on, Robin!" Lissa had told him. "Go have dinner! It's really good tonight!"

"You already ate?" Robin asked her in surprise. "That sure was fast. I'd think there was barely enough time to cook since we set up camp."

"No." Lissa giggled. "But it sure smells good. And Stahl is cooking, so it can't be very bad. He told me he'd save some for me once I finish up with Virion."

"Oh, all right then." Robin nodded. "I'm off. I'll leave Virion in your capable hands then."

"Don't worry about a thing!" Lissa assured the tactician as he left the medical tent.

As soon as Robin stepped outside, he could tell it was significantly darker than a couple hours ago. The air was beginning to cool for the evening, which he had to admit made it a pleasure to walk around outside. He slowly made his way towards the mess tent.

The mess tent, as usual, was extremely busy. After all, everyone would be feeling tired and hungry after marching an entire day. Robin chuckled to himself. This was just the mess tent for the shepherds. He could only imagine how packed it would be if they only had one mess tent for everyone, including all of Regna Ferox's soldiers as well. It would have to be a castle sized tent.

Thankfully, there wasn't a line anymore, as everyone was already in the middle of their first portions. Robin didn't have to wait for a single extra minute and walked directly up to the service window.

Stahl gave him a grin and served him a bowl of food. Robin smiled in return and left to go find somewhere to sit.

He saw Lucina sitting at a table with Brady and Cynthia. It made sense. They were close friends in their own timeline, and it was natural for them to want to catch up with one another after being separated for so long. Seeing as they were in the middle of a conversation, Robin decided to try and find somewhere else to sit.

When he saw his good friend indecisively look around the entire tent, Chrom decided to wave Robin over. Robin smiled at him in thanks, and walked over to sit down across from Chrom and Sumia, and next to Lon'qu.

"How's Virion?" Chrom asked as soon as Robin sat down.

"It's looking like he'll be fine." Robin told them, which caused the three others sitting at his table to sigh in relief. "Once Lissa's finished checking up on him, he'll be perfectly fine after a good rest."

"That's good to hear." Chrom nodded.

"Mmh." Lon'qu gave a rare smile as he also nodded in agreement.

"So…. Chrom." Robin gave his friend a mischievous grin as he began to dig into his food. "How are you feeling? I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have a second child come back from the future to see you."

"Don't even get me started." Chrom groaned, as Sumia giggled to his side.

Suddenly, Chrom shivered in his seat.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked, noticing it.

"Nothing… I think." Chrom chuckled. "Someone must be saying things about me behind my back or something."

"I'm sure it's nothing." Robin grinned as he reassured his friend.

"I think that while Lucina definitely is more similar to her father, Cynthia definitely takes after me." Sumia said, returning back to their conversation.

"Yeah?" Robin chuckled.

"Makes sense." Lon'qu added. "Lucina fights with Chrom's weapon, while Cynthia became a Pegasus Knight."

"Actually, that reminds me." Sumia interjected. "Seeing her is kind of bittersweet, actually. More specifically, seeing her pegasus. It's… it's Nutmeg. She's older… much older, but I know it's definitely her."

"Really…" Robin genuinely said in surprise between a bite of his food.

"I talked with Cynthia earlier…" Sumia continued. "Just for a short while. Apparently, I had switched from a pegasus to a falicorn once I decided to pick up magic. Naturally, Nutmeg's species would get startled by magic, so I stopped using her as a mount in battle. When she decided to become a Pegasus Knight, Cynthia had insisted I let her claim Nutmeg, and so I did."

"So I guess Nutmeg… well… Nutmeg survived the future then?" Robin cautiously said.

"Yeah…" Sumia sighed. "Makes you wonder if I did something wrong to cause her to die in this timeline." she let out a nervous chuckle. "It's funny. In this timeline, Nutmeg was the one to die, and in the other one, I was the one to die. I wonder how Nutmeg feels through all of this."

"Yeah… that is definitely something worth thinking about…" Robin trailed off as he saw Lucina sneaking a look at him from her table behind Chrom and Sumia. This was not the first time he had noticed it tonight either. It was something she had been doing ever since he walked into the tent. At first, he paid it no mind, and chalked it off as a coincidence, but now he's beginning to think that it was anything but. At first, the glances seemed to project longingness, however, now it seemed like she was more embarrassed than anything else. Maybe she felt that way because she saw that he had noticed her. That must have been the reason.

Lon'qu noticed what Robin had been looking at and let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Chrom asked. "It's rare for you to suddenly find something humorous."

"It's your daughter." Lon'qu said bluntly. "She keeps staring at him."

"Robin?" Chrom asked. "Which daughter?"

"Both of them." Lon'qu replied, causing the other three at the table to suddenly give him all their attention. This was news even to Robin, as he had only noticed Lucina. And this was definitely news to Chrom and Sumia, as they had their backs to their children.

"The eldest one seems to sneak a look twice as often." Lon'qu continued. "But make no mistake. The young one is also guilty. I'd bet good coin that they're talking about Robin as we speak."

"Chrom…" Sumia tugged at her husband's arm. "You don't think that they're BOTH into Robin, do you?"

Chrom's eyes widened at the thought. He gave his friend a glare. "No funny ideas, Robin…" he warned.

"No." Robin gave a nervous chuckle. "None at all."

**With Lucina…**

"Wow! That's so awesome!" Cynthia looked up at her elder sister with stars in her eyes. Like with Brady, she had just finished explaining what had happened in the war against Valm.

"So you saw it with your own eyes?" Cynthia pressed, placing her hands on the table and leaning close to Lucina.

"Mmhm…" Lucina nodded. "I swear, everything I told you is true! I participated in it after all!"

"Wow! It looks like everything you guys told me was true after all. It's so awesome!" Cynthia closed her eyes and swung her arms around excitedly, just like a child in a candy shop. She was the youngest of all the future children, and was just five years old when her father, as well as most of the other shepherds, died in that tragic battle. As a result, pretty much everything she knew about the shepherds were passed down to her in the form of stories by the other children.

"Calm down, Cynthia!" Brady scolded. "Yer gonna hit someone walkin' past ya!"

"S-sorry." Cynthia apologized sheepishly. "All this talk of heroics is making me too excited! And to think… if only I had found mom and dad instead of that creepy guy… I could have been a part of it too!"

"Well that's your own fault!" Lucina reprimanded. "How could you even believe for a second that someone else is father? You would think the Exalt of Ylisse cannot be confused for anyone else."

"Hey, give me a break!" Cynthia retorted. "Unlike you, I was only five when he died! I barely even remember what he looked like! And that guy DID look kind of like him…"

"Really?" Lucina frowned. "Come to think of it, I never got to see the person that tried to impersonate father."

"Yeah, they did look alike! I swear!" Cynthia exclaimed. "And to be honest, I really WANTED to believe I had found the right people. I was so fed up with wandering, that I convinced myself they really were the shepherds. In hindsight, it was really pretty obvious that they were a pack of brigandes and not Ylissean royalty." she scratched her head and grinned sheepishly.

"Did they at least treat you fairly?" Lucina asked. "They didn't force you to do anything… obscene?" Lucina was truly worried about her sister. Who knows what a pack of brigandes would do to a young girl such as Cynthia. These type of people weren't exactly known for their morals.

"Don't worry about it!" Cynthia reassured her. "If anyone tried it, I would have run my lance right through them!"

"But what if they jumped you while you were asleep?" Lucina asked. She was not surprised her sister knew what she was trying to get at. Even though Cynthia was really young and certainly acted her age, her mind had gone through so much stress in their timeline that it had caused her to mature extremely early… at least mentally. In fact, this could be said about most of the future children. "I couldn't even begin to imagine them doing something like that if it were me… It scares me."

"Ha!" Cynthia managed to let out a laugh. "You know my sleeping habits! I'd wake up if anyone tried to get within fifty feet of the tent!"

"So they DID try to sneak up on you!?" Lucina panicked. Cynthia seemed a little TOO carefree about all of this.

"Don't worry!" Cynthia told her again. "I tented with another woman, and 'Chrom' made sure the other men didn't bother us. She was supposed to be aunt Lissa, but I could tell she was always unhappy when I called her that. I guess that was another telltale sign…"

"If only you weren't so clueless…" Lucina deadpanned.

"That's not my fault!" Cynthia retorted. "YOU try remembering the faces of everyone from when you were five years old!"

"Cynthia 'as a point." Brady nodded begrudgingly. "I was seven, an' I still can't recognize many o' th' shepherds. Th' only ones I know for fact are m' Ma an' ol' Pops… an' I guess uncle Robin."

Just as Brady finished his sentence, Robin lifted the flap to the mess tent and walked in.

"Psst!" Cynthia leaned across the table to Lucina and Brady. "Who's that guy?"

"Who?" Lucina asked, turning around.

"That one!" Cynthia whispered, discreetly gesturing towards Robin. "The really cute guy with white hair that just walked in! He doesn't match the description of any of the others' parents!"

At this, Lucina felt her cheeks heat up. But because the attention at her table was not on her at the moment, no one noticed the pink on her face.

Brady turned around. "Aww, speak o' th' devil! We were just talkin' about him! That's uncle Robin!"

"THAT'S uncle Robin!?" Cynthia leaned towards Lucina in disbelief. "Wow… I guess I'm sorry for making fun of you in the past! The fact that you were so into him must mean you have really good taste!"

Lucina squirmed in her seat uncomfortably. Of course she had to bring it up. There was a moment of awkward silence between the three friends.

"So?" Cynthia grinned mischievously. "Are you gonna try and rope him in? Because if you're not going to try, then that means it's fine for me to make a pass right?"

"Cynthia!" Lucina protested, her face now a deep crimson color. "Stop it!"

"Well… to think the both of ya gots the hots for uncle Robin…" Brady shook his head. "Must run in th' family. If uncle Robin were an aunt, then maybe ol' Chrom would make an attempt as well!"

Cynthia laughed at Brady's joke, but Lucina was too embarrassed to feel humor at the moment. "Well? I was joking Lucy." Cynthia winked at her sister. "… sorta. But I know what you feel! You have to at least try and win him over!"

"She already 'as!" Brady grinned, finally letting Cynthia in on it. "They've been t'gether for a few days now!"

"Really!?" Cynthia exclaimed before leaning in to whisper to her friends. "Did you… have you two… _kissed_ yet?"

Lucina looked down at her lap, unable to make eye contact or give a reply, giving the other two the answer they were looking for.

"Well congratulations sis!" Cynthia winked. "I really mean it this time! And I'll stop teasing you… for now."

Lucina grumbled something inaudible as she finished the rest of her dinner in relative silence.

**Later that night…**

It was already well into the night, and Robin had just been woken up by the same nightmare he'd had in the past. The dream felt so realistic, and Robin actually thought he killed Chrom before he woke up.

"Was it really me then?" Robin thought to himself. "Was I the one to betray Chrom in Lucina's timeline? I guess it's not impossible… but why would I do such a thing?"

He shook his head in order to attempt to clear it. "There's no need to jump to conclusions. Even if it did happen, it doesn't mean it will happen again. And there's always a chance that I'm wrong about this whole thing… But I shouldn't rely on that theory either. I need to make sure that I don't make that mistake again… assuming it was me in the first place. And just in case, I shouldn't tell anyone else about it either."

He sighed. Out of boredom, he took out his Hekseer to check it. Robin frowned at what he saw. Besides the shepherds, who were all clumped together, there were two icons that he could not account for. Both of them were a good distance away.

"Who could they be? Probably not our soldiers, that's for sure." Robin murmured to himself. "Better check it out, I guess."

With that, Robin put on his cloak and stealthily left his tent. He decided to do the reasonable thing and investigate the closer of the two people. In case it was an enemy, he made sure to take a roundabout path and to mask his movements as much as he possibly could. His efforts bore fruit, and he found himself approaching his target from behind.

The result was extremely unexpected. A man, one that Robin did not recognize, was sleeping. Robin took a good look. The man was wearing clothes that indicate he must have been from Plegia.

"Why is this guy here of all places?" Robin murmured to himself. "I thought Plegia didn't have people to spare… Should I kill him? Wake him up? No… there's a possibility that he's an ally… and there's also the possibility that he's a spy or something… if only there were some way of knowing what he is up to without alerting him to my presence…"

'There is…' a voice in his head seemed to whisper to him. It was kind of creepy and sounded like metal scraping against metal. The sound of the voice chilled Robin to the bone. 'There is…'

"Who-" Robin looked around, feeling quite startled. Suddenly, he felt an energy surging through his right arm and into his palm. A dark purple aura seemed to emanate from his hand.

'Touch him…' The voice urged him. 'Touch him…'

Robin, for the first time in a while, began to feel scared. But, he could not deny that he was also curious. He slowly reached forward with his right hand and placed it on the sleeping Plegian's forehead.

Immediately, Robin felt overwhelmed by a surge of information. The man's memories… he realized after a few moments. However, Robin was extremely inexperienced in whatever he was doing, and the overwhelming amount of information he was receiving began to cause him to have a migraine. He removed his hand and the other man's memories instantly disappeared.

'Focus…' the voice told him. 'Focus…'

"What?" Robin whispered aloud. "What does that mean?"

'What do you want? What do you want?'

"What do I want?" Robin whispered. "To… know what this guy is up to…"

A sudden realization hit him. He reached out once again and touched the man's forehead. The information began to seep over to Robin once again, but he only thought about what he desired to know from this man. Lo and behold, only the memories pertaining to what Robin was after materialized in front of his eyes.

Apparently, Validar, king of Plegia, had ordered this man to secretly tail the shepherds ever since they were at Carrion Isle. He had snuck onto one of the soldiers' ships and sailed over to Valm with the rest of them. His goal was to keep an eye on the Fire Emblem and the gemstones, because Validar had plans to steal it.

Once he was finished, Robin retracted his hand. The memories stopped flowing over.

"It's good that I found out." Robin mused to himself. "The question now is what do I do with him?"

The obvious answer, kill him, was rather tempting, but that would also inform Validar that his spy had been found out. No, the smart thing would be to pretend he never even noticed the spy. Perhaps he could even use it to his advantage.

Armed with this information, Robin left the spy alone and began to make his way over to the second icon. Realizing what the first person was caused him to be extra cautious. When he reached his target, he found a lone figure lying face down on the ground.

The figure stirred, and immediately reached for a hand axe that was strapped to his side. Robin simultaneously reached for his scythe, but before his weapon fully materialized, Robin stopped and recognized who it was.

The figure lying down also seemed to realize who had found him, and sighed in relief.

"Hey." Robin smiled. "I knew you couldn't have died that easily."

The man only grunted in reply.

"Honestly, I don't know how you did it." Robin admitted. "It's a miracle you were able to crawl your way this far. And I'm glad that you at least remembered what we had agreed upon too."

The man grunted again.

"Let me take a good look at those wounds." Robin squatted down next to him. "I may not be able to fully heal everything, but I think at this point, anything helps. Now listen to me while I heal you. Since you're supposed to be dead, I think there's a way to make the most of the situation. But it would require that everyone still believe you are in fact dead. Listen closely to everything I'm about to say…"

Robin began to whisper to the man his exact plans as he healed him. The man weakly nodded in response.

"There's not really a way for us to take you back without anyone else finding out. So here's what we'll do instead." Robin reached into his cloak and took out a bag of coins and placed it into the man's hand. "Try and purchase a ticket on a passenger vessel back to Ylisse. I'll add you on my Hekseer, so as long as I have it open, I would be able to talk to you discreetly, assuming you're within range. Until further notice, you'll have to stay in a remote Ylissean city, so that your identity is not revealed. I think the best option is Zhanbridge. I'll talk to Chrom, and we'll make sure to get you money and provisions while you hide. The war with Valm may be over, but now there's trouble brewing in Plegia. You may be a vital part in our success in the future."

The man grunted in thanks and to show that he understood.

"Good." Robin got up. "We'll keep in touch. I have to head back now."

With that, Robin made his way back to camp as discreetly as he possibly could.

He was surprised to see a lit campfire within the shepherds' camp when he returned. Upon getting closer, he realized it was Cynthia sitting by herself. With nothing better to do, he went and sat across from her.

"Oh hey, it's uncle Robin!" Cynthia greeted him. "I don't think I've introduced myself to you yet. I'm Cynthia, Lucina's sister."

"Yeah, that's what I heard." Robin chuckled. "What are you doing up this early?"

"Oh, me?" Cynthia giggled. "I'm a light sleeper. And my dad's snores really loudly."

"I didn't know that." Robin shrugged. "My condolences I guess."

"What about you?" Cynthia asked. "Why are you up so early?"

"I don't need as much sleep as everyone else." Robin explained. "And since I'm done sleeping, I have more time in the mornings to get other things done. I decided to take a walk in the immediate area."

"Wow, I didn't know that." Cynthia admitted. "They never said anything like that about you in the future. They told me a lot about you… they being my friends, of course. Especially Lucina. Everyone adored you, but Lucy adored you most of all."

"Really." Robin shook his head. "No matter how many times I hear it, I'm surprised every time."

"And it was SO clear she had a crush on you!" Cynthia laughed at the memories. "She'd try to hide it, but she's really bad at it. And every time we accused her, she would deny it profusely, but she was not fooling anyone. Her face was always red as a tomato! Yarne tells me that every single time you were brought up, her heart rate doubled."

"Yarne?" Robin asked.

"Oh, you must have not met him yet." Cynthia realized. "Yarne is Panne's son. He's a taguel."

"That makes sense then." Robin nodded. "Taguels have great senses."

"And Brady says you two are together now." Cynthia continued. "He usually is not the type to lie about these things, but I'd still like to hear it from you. Is that true?"

"Yeah." Robin admitted. "Yeah, it is."

"Wow, that's great!" Cynthia giggled in excitement. "That must make Lucy sooooo happy! But… there's something I have to tell you."

"And what is that?" Robin inquired.

"Do you actually like her?" Cynthia asked. "Like, you want to be in the relationship? Not just so that you don't hurt her feelings, or make father angry at you or something?"

"Yeah, of course I do." Robin replied instantly. "Why suddenly this?"

"Tell me, does Lucy seem… anxious or nervous around you at all?" Cynthia asked, her voice getting uncharacteristically quiet.

Robin thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, yeah, I think she is."

"I thought that might be the case." Cynthia sighed. "That's probably because she's really really worried. She's worried that you'll lose interest in her or find someone better. And she probably also doesn't want to do anything that would make you mad or think less of her, even on accident. In short, she's most likely really happy to be with you, but is paranoid about you leaving her."

"Why?" Robin scoffed.

"You may not know." Cynthia continued. "But what everyone tells me is that in the future, you were a hero among heroes. People say that it was impossible for Ylisse to lose a war because the sharpness of father's sword combined with the sharpness of your mind was absolutely unbeatable. And there were women flocking towards you all the time. The workers in the castle, the noblewomen of the city, even the royals of other nations… they all have attempted to win your hand in marriage. But you always turned them all down. And THAT'S why Lucy is worried. At least, that's what I think. The noblewoman of Ylisse gave you the nickname 'Grandmaster of Ice'. She probably thinks that it can't be THAT easy to really hold onto you."

"I guess that would make sense." Robin sighed. "My actions in the future, at least. With a reputation like that, I don't think anyone would have been offering because they truly loved me. They probably just loved my reputation."

"Yeah, but you know Lucy will probably not see it that way. I think that she thinks you just have impossibly high standards." Cynthia said. "So I have a favor to ask of you. Could you make sure to stay with her? If you ever decided to leave, it would actually break her heart."

"Yeah. I don't intend to leave." Robin cupped his forehead with one hand and stopped to think for a moment. "You're awfully mature for a… what are you? Fifteen? Fourteen?"

"Thirteen, actually." Cynthia corrected. "And maybe that's the case, but I've also been fighting for my life since I was around ten years old. If that ever happens, I'm basically forced to grow up even if I don't want to. The alternative is just to die."

"Yes, I keep forgetting." Robin tilted his head. "Your future was a brutal place to live in."

"But we got through it." Cynthia smiled. "And so the hard part is over, right? We just need to stop it from happening again! It'll be easy since all of you shepherds are still alive! We can accomplish just about anything!"

"I'm glad you're so optimistic." Robin chuckled.

"And actually, I have to also give you my thanks." Cynthia smiled. "My mother used to tell me the reason she trained me to be a Pegasus Knight was because of your suggestion. And I LOVE being a Pegasus Knight! She says I probably would have ended up learning to fight with a sword or something, but you convinced her to let me learn how to fly a pegasus. So thank you thank you thank you!"

"Uh…" Robin replied sheepishly. "Technically I wasn't the person to do that, so there's really no need for thanks."

"Yes, but I can't thank the Robin from my timeline, so you'll have to do." Cynthia grinned.

"I guess I'll accept the thanks in his stead then." Robin chuckled.

"Well," Cynthia said as she got up. "Although I don't really feel that I need it anymore, I should really go back and try to sleep a little bit more. Otherwise I'll be really tired tomorrow. Is it all right if I don't put out the fire?"

"Yeah, I'll watch it for you." Robin told her.

"Great!" Cynthia waved goodbye to him as she walked back towards her parents' tent. Robin watched her leave until she disappeared back into the tent.

"All of this is so crazy…" Robin chuckled to himself as he pulled out a book from the astral plane and began to read.

**The Next Day…**

Robin managed to isolate Chrom during breakfast and inform him of what he had discovered the previous night. Chrom was initially shocked, but calmed down when Robin told him he had a plan. The two of them agreed that it was something that could potentially turn the tables in the upcoming conflict with Plegia… assuming Robin's visions meant anything. And if they were wrong, then they weren't really losing all that much either.

After everyone had eaten and packed up, the shepherds hit the road once again. They laid some blankets down in the back of a carriage and gently placed Virion on his back over them. He was still in the process of recovery, and so there was no need to try and make him walk the entire day. The man was barely conscious after all. His body was in the middle of fighting off a poison wound, along with the fevers and other nastiness that it brought with it.

Robin, as per the new norm, held onto Lucina's hand as they marched, joking and laughing with the rest of the shepherds as they did so.

"Assuming nothing else goes wrong, we should be able to reach Virion's place by nightfall." Robin said during the conversation.

"You weren't supposed to say that." Libra chuckled. "Now something is bound to happen."

"Wow, I never realized priests were allowed to be superstitious." Anna giggled. It still hurt for her to see Lucina being so close to Robin, but by now she was able to hide it relatively well. The other shepherds, besides Lucina and Say'ri, hadn't suspected a thing.

"Of course he's a bad priest!" Nowi exclaimed. "He's going to marry THARJA of all people."

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Tharja fumed. She usually thought it was pointless to participate in these conversations, but Nowi had forced her hand. "Now listen here, you little troglodyte. Say one more bad thing about Libra, and I'll turn you into a newt."

"Uh oh!" Nowi mocked. "Tharja's been taking lessons in language from Maribelle recently!"

"Who knew? Tharja actually has a heart!" Anna laughed. While she was doing so, she didn't realize that everyone had stopped marching and walked right into the back of Robin.

"Hey!" the redhead exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry Anna." Robin turned around and apologized immediately.

"Oh, no, no!" Anna shook her hands frantically. "It was an accident! And if anything, I'm sorry for not looking at where I was going!" she stepped to the side to look in front of Robin and the others. "So why have we stopped?"

"Something is up." Robin replied. "Chrom is making his way over to discuss something with us, I think."

"Robin, bad news." As if on cue, Chrom approached them, or rather Robin specifically. "Frederick has reported that he saw some slavers up ahead. Of course, we may be able to help the victims, but we'll have to hurry."

At this revelation, Anna paled in the face slightly. "R-robin… we're going to help them… right?"

Although Anna hated to do anything unless she was getting paid, her last encounter with slavers have gotten her thinking that maybe there were things she SHOULD do, even if there was no coin involved. Once in a while, she'd wake up from a nightmare about what would have happened to her had the shepherds not saved her, and it was something she'd not wish upon any girl.

"Of course." Robin said with determination. "If there's someone in trouble, we help them. That's something I've learned from my good buddy Chrom over here." He gave the Exalt a nod of acknowledgement. "But Chrom is also right. We'll have to hurry."

"Or…" Tharja purred. "We could just stay here and let me work on it. A curse to wither them away perhaps? A slow death over a year? Oh fie, let's make it two."

"I think the captives would probably prefer something a little more immediate." Chrom told her cautiously.

"Yeah, yeah," Tharja grumbled. "This is what I get for attempting to make a joke. Whatever."

"Maybe your humor still needs just a bit more work, love." Libra chuckled.

"Shepherds! We have to save the captives!" Chrom informed everyone else in a loud voice. "Let's move out!"

The shepherds began to head in the direction of some nearby warehouses, where Frederick had spotted the slavers going towards.

**A Short Distance Away…**

Ezra was a wanted man. He and his followers were engaged in the illegal act of sex trafficking within the region. Simply put, he and his men would find young, vulnerable, and preferably beautiful girls, kidnap them, and hand them over to the black market auctioneers. They are paid a small amount for each girl they bring in that is deemed to have some sale value, as well as a small portion of the final bid for each girl.

Although extremely illegal, it certainly paid well. The rich noblemen that buy the slaves off the black market obviously wouldn't sell out the people supplying them with their endless supply of human toys to play with. And with how deep their pockets were, it was no surprise that human trafficking was a ludicrously well paying job… so long as you don't get caught. But with the recent defeat of the Valmese Empire, there weren't exactly many law enforcing entities patrolling the continent anymore, allowing such heinous activities to prosper. Still, it's much safer to go after young women with few or no connections in order to create as small of a disturbance as possible. A homeless girl or a new widow made prime targets, while wealthy noblewomen with large families are much riskier. Ezra would have to get paid an extremely large bounty to go after those targets.

With these concepts in mind, it was easy to see why he and his men were currently tailing a meek young girl with short blonde hair. A couple of his men overheard her asking around a tavern in town and sneakily followed her while sending a runner back to alert Ezra of a prime new target. They stalked the girl for about an hour after she left town in order to make sure no one was around to witness them. In that hour, Ezra had plenty of time to observe their prey. He had to admit, she was a pretty good catch. The amount they'll get paid from her sale price would probably be a significant portion higher than usual. He'd have to remember to give the ones who found her a bonus after the mission.

"Roman!" Ezra whispered.

"Yes, boss!" A large, muscular man with a scar across his left eye instantly rushed to Ezra's side.

"I think we're in the clear now." Ezra nodded. "Let's rake in our prize."

"Yessir!" Roman laughed as he motioned for two of his underlings to follow him. The four men rushed forward from their hiding place and surrounded the young girl.

"All alone, are you lamb?" Ezra cackled. "Off searching for dear old mum? How sweet. But the world's a dangerous place, my dear. Full of dangerous wolves ready to snatch you up."

"U-um…" The young girl began to stammer. "Th-thank you for the warning, sir… b-but…"

"That was no warning, lamb." Ezra smirked. "I'm a wolf, and you've been snatched! Now come quietly. Scars tend to lower the sale price. Roman!"

The large man led the other two in subduing the young girl. They clamped a damp towel over her mouth to muffle her cries for help, and after a brief struggle, Roman hit the girl over the head, knocking her out.

"Good work, boys." Ezra sighed in satisfaction. "Let's take her to the warehouses. Put her with the others. I have some other business to attend to before the next meeting with the clients. As usual, check the surroundings to make sure we weren't spotted. I'll head off first."

"You got it boss!" Roman grunted as he threw the knocked out girl over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

"Shall we make a round, Roman?" One of his henchmen asked.

"Ezra is just being too cautious." Roman replied. "Don't worry about it. There's no one out here. Let's just head back to base."

"Sounds good." His men nodded and followed him.

Roman and his men headed off feeling quite confident that they had not been spotted by anyone. Unfortunately, their confidence was slightly misplaced.

**With Noire… (Warning)**

Noire was having a bad day. She had wandered into town earlier today and asked around at the tavern for any news of her parents. Like usual, she didn't gain anything from it. What's more, she only attracted some unwanted attention. After being jumped far away from town, her memory went hazy.

In fact, she had been knocked unconscious by her attackers. She didn't wake up until she was thrown onto the cold, hard floor of one of the slave warehouses.

"Oof!" she grunted. Due to not being awake, she hadn't attempted to use her arms or legs to catch herself, and had landed extremely hard on her side. Not that it would have helped, because her wrists were currently bound together behind her back. When her vision returned, Noire found herself looking at dozens of minimally clothed young women, all chained together as they huddled on the warehouse floor. Upon closer inspection, Noire found that many of them had bruises on their faces and legs. They all looked at the guards with absolute fear in their eyes. Not a good sign.

"Fine catch ya got there, Roman!" A guard called. "I knew there's a reason you're our second in command!"

"Of course, Damien." The large muscular man boasted. "But you can tell me exactly how great I am later. Right now, Ezra is meeting with a couple of clients in warehouse one. The clients want to 'sample the wares'. Take two o' the better ones and hand them over to him. Don't mess this one up. It could influence how much we get paid this time."

"Yessir!" Damien immediately turned to some of his own underlings. "Hey you chumps! Unchain numbers fourteen and twenty three and bring 'em to me! The boss needs their help in negotiations! Also, chain the new girl to the line as well. She's number forty nine."

There were a couple of calls of affirmation as a few other men hurried over. Noire was dragged to her feet and shoved towards the other hostages. The shackles binding her wrists behind her back were locked into a larger chain that was attached to the floor, as well as the other hostages. The man kicked Noire in the stomach after he had secured her bindings, then kicked the girls locked up right next to her for good measure. The force behind the kick would have caused Noire to vomit up her lunch, but she was saved by the fact that she hadn't had anything to eat in the past few days. The victims let out a quiet whimper of pain, but did not otherwise complain.

She saw the other men drag away two protesting women. The lucky one was being pulled along by a chain attached to the collar around her neck, while the second woman was just being dragged by her hair. She was crying from the pain, but the guards didn't seem to care at all.

"Where are they...?" Noire quietly whispered to herself, voicing an extremely obvious question out loud.

"They're being taken away to do unspeakable things." A brunette near Noire whispered to her, answering her question. She seemed like she was much older than most of the other girls, but was still an attractive looking woman. "They usually never return. If the slavers' clients like what they see, they're instantly taken away to be sold. Otherwise, they don't have much value and are killed on the spot."

"K-killed!?" Noire whimpered.

"Yeah…" The brunette sighed. "It'll happen to all of us eventually. We've lost hope of ever being rescued a long time ago. These guys are too good at what they do. The best you can probably hope for is to die from sickness or disease before they come for you at this point."

As shocking as it sounded, it also kind of made sense to Noire. And this woman was clearly a leader of sorts among the captured women. She at least retained some shred of confidence in the way she talked.

"I think I understand now." Noire sighed. "Thanks… er…"

"Kayla." The brunette let out a pained smile. "Although… don't bother. I haven't been called that in months… maybe even a year or two by now. I'm just known as 'number four' now. That's all these monsters ever call me."

'She's been here that long?' Noire thought to herself. 'What am I going to do?'

"Hey!" A nearby guard yelled. "Shut it, you wench!" he walked over and gave Kayla a hard smack across the cheek, leaving a stinging handprint across her cheek.

Kayla immediately lowered her head. "I-i'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Naw, that ain't gonna cut it!" Another voice, one that Noire heard earlier exclaimed. Another guard, Damien, began to saunter over.

Upon seeing this guard head towards her, Kayla's eyes widened in panic. Even though her hands were bound behind her back, she attempted to prostrate herself. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please!" she began to frantically beg. "I promise it won't happen again! Please, forgive me!"

"Naw, I have to make sure you bitches learn a lesson." Damien laughed as he pulled Kayla up onto her knees by her hair. "How're they supposed to learn a lesson if you don't administer the appropriate punishment? They ain't gonna learn a thing if ya hit them with an open hand."

Damien proceeded to slam his fist into the side of Kaya's face. He punched her a couple more times as she pleaded for mercy, then kicked her in the stomach and legs a couple of times for good measure.

"Watch and learn, boys." Damien told the other guards in the warehouse. He then sauntered back over to his post, leaving Kayla a crying, whimpering mess on the floor.

Noire felt her mind go numb at the sight. 'Naga… please help me…' she silently begged.

**With The Shepherds…**

The shepherds had followed Frederick's lead and eventually were led to a couple of abandoned looking warehouses.

"What's the situation like, Robin?" Chrom asked.

"There are many hostiles we'll need to take out." Robin replied after a check on his Hekseer. "It looks like there are a bunch of hostages being held in that building over there." he pointed to a building towards their right.

"So we'll need to take out all the slavers and save the hostages at the same time." Chrom surmised.

"Correct." Robin nodded. "So once again, we'll split up. I'll take a team and head towards the hostages, while you take another and aim to eliminate the slavers on our left hand side."

"Always giving me the easier job, aren't you?" Chrom half joked.

"It might be more straightforward, but it's equally as important." Robin smirked.

"Yeah, I know." Chrom chuckled. "Just hurry up and divide the teams."

A few of the nearby shepherds rolled their eyes. A couple of years ago, Chrom would be racking his brains, trying to think of a good way to get the job done. Now with the addition of Robin, he seems more carefree than ever. He asked Robin about dividing the shepherds up in the same way he'd ask a third party to divide the teams for a friendly football game.

Moments later, after Robin had assigned the appropriate personnel to each group, the shepherds hastily began their rescue operation.

Chrom led his group in his attack on the slavers to the leftmost warehouse. As Robin had told them, these slavers were mostly on horseback. Stahl and Sully led the charge, and rushed into the slavers' ranks to cause some chaos. Frederick and Chrom followed their lead.

"Protect Ezra and the clients!" Chrom heard one of the enemy Paladins call. "This is not a drill! This is not a drill!"

"Shut it!" Gaius yelled as he leapt up and stabbed the man with his knife right in the jugular. The Paladin fell off his horse, very much dead. "And I thought I had an unsavory profession."

Nearby, Kellam slammed his shield into a Bow Knight, snapping the bow he was about to fire with, and knocking the man off his horse. This gave Say'ri an easy target to kill, and she slashed the man to death before he got the chance to get back up.

"Oi, Gregor remember you!" Gregor exclaimed as he locked weapons with a Paladin. "Gregor work with you before! For questionable employer, yes? Yes, Gregor remembering now! Shame you chose wrong path, Gregor now help you set things right!"

With that, Gregor reached up and grabbed the collar of the man with his free hand. He dragged the man off his horse and brought his steel axe down on the man's chest, killing him instantly.

Lucina darted around the field with Anna, killing one enemy after another. She felt utterly disgusted by the men they were fighting, and it certainly showed. On top of that, she had been separated from Robin in this operation, which put her in even more of a foul mood, much to the chagrin of her opponents.

Anna followed her around, being one of the few shepherds that could actually keep up with the future princess. She mostly helped kill off any targets that Lucina wasn't able to defeat instantly, and watched Lucina's back against ranged opponents. Even though they had previously been rivals in terms of winning over Robin's affections, she had to admit that they worked together well enough.

Nearby, Panne and Donnel worked as a team to lay out the bodies of as many opponents as they possibly could. Panne went around kicking the opponent's horses, making rider after rider fall from their mounts. Donnel was on cleanup duty, and killed all the slavers while they were still down.

"Yeehaw!" The farm boy exclaimed. "Just like harvestin' time back on th' farm!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself!" Libra called as he stayed behind most of the others. He was the only healer in this group, so he couldn't afford to take any unnecessary risks.

Soon, all of the slavers guarding the entrance of the warehouse were wiped out.

"Come on, there might still be more of them inside!" Chrom exclaimed as he led his group into the warehouse.

Inside, they found Ezra, the remains of his forces, as well as two shady looking men. Ezra's men looked like they weren't about to throw down their weapons without a fight. There was also the bodies of two naked women lying lifeless on the floor.

"Give up now." Chrom told Ezra bluntly. "If you value your lives at all."

"Give up? Give up!?" Ezra cackled. "Oh you are sorely mistaken! There's no way I, Ezra the great mastermind, would just give myself up in order to rot away in a jail cell for the rest of my life. In fact, I actually see this as a fantastic opportunity." The man had the audacity to lick his chops.

"You have a few fine women among your lineup." Ezra smirked as he gave Anna, Lucina and Say'ri a once over. "Perhaps I'll claim them as well after I roll your sorry heads onto the floor."

The women in question clenched their teeth in rage and disgust, but Chrom spoke up for them.

"In your dreams, villain!" The exalt drew Falchion. "The only heads that will be rolling across the floor will belong to you and your men! Face reality, there's no way the rest of your men can take us on."

"You might be right about that one." Ezra cackled. "But you are also a little too arrogant. Did you think these were all the people I have left? No, these are only half my men. I sent a messenger as soon as the fight started. He should already be on his way back with reinforcements by now. And in case you haven't noticed, you're in a prime position to be trapped between us and our reinforcements. Give it up, for you can't outclass the mastermind. So I'll give you another offer. Lay down your weapons, offer up your women, and we'll let the rest of you off easy. How's that for an offer?"

"Why you-" Anna looked like she was about to step up and strike the man with her Levin Sword, but Chrom put up a hand and stopped her.

"That's right, now that brain of yours is finally beginning to turn." Ezra cackled. "I knew you could listen to reason!"

Chrom, in response, began to laugh. "Gaius, you can come out now!"

"Yessir!" Gaius dropped down from one of the wooden beams stretching overhead. "One head, as ordered." He was holding the head of someone by the hair in his hand. He let it drop to the floor.

"I believe you said something about heads rolling?" Chrom made eye contact with Ezra. "By chance, could this have been the messenger you were talking about?"

The panic setting into Ezra's eyes told Chrom and the shepherds everything.

"You are equally, if not more arrogant than I, it would seem." Chrom continued. "Because these are also not all of my allies. And you aren't fit to be called a mastermind. The only person I know that can be given that title happens to be leading the rest of our forces against your 'reinforcements' as we speak."

"Why you-" Ezra shrieked, his voice audibly higher than usual. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

"Shepherds! Don't leave a single aggressor alive!" Chrom ordered as he pointed Falchion forward. The remaining forces of Ezra began to clash with Chrom and his group inside the warehouse.

**With Noire…**

Noire had been stuck on the warehouse floor for several hours now. Eventually, the guards brought over some food for the slaves. They put a feeding trough out in front of the slaves and dumped some slop into it.

Some of the women refused to eat, which was understandable. The food they had been given was the same as what a farmer would feed their pigs. However, Noire was feeling so hungry at the moment that she couldn't help herself. She dragged herself over, reached her head over and began to eat. She was not alone, either. A few of the others also did the same, albeit reluctantly.

Noire began to choke down bite after bite of the food, despite how disgusted she was by it. However, after not having anything for such a long time, this could still be considered better than nothing.

After she had ate enough to not be starving anymore, Noire did the reasonable thing and refused to eat anymore of the disgusting slop. She turned around and saw that most of the other girls had chosen not to eat anything.

"They're not gonna…" Noire began.

"They're either not hungry enough, or trying to starve themselves to death." Kayla explained. "It's a shame you can't do that. I've tried it before myself. But you get to a point where you're so hungry that even this stuff looks good. And if you do get to the point where you almost die, they force feed it to you. That's an even worse experience. Let's just say that there's no good reason to starve yourself, even if the food is disgusting. For your sake, you should eat whenever you're hungry."

Noire was only kind of listening. She was more focused on the guards, who had begun to mobilize. They looked as if they were almost panicking.

"What's happening?" Noire asked.

"I… I don't know." Kayla admitted. "I've never seen them like this before."

"I hear some commotion outside." One of the younger girls next to them said. "Are we… do you think we're being rescued?"

"Maybe…" Kayla tried to listen closely herself. "Something is definitely happening. But I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet. It'll just hurt even more when we realize that's not what is happening."

The guard known as Damien was ordering some of the others around. "Get your weapons ready! I need everyone outside RIGHT NOW!"

He was interrupted by the large man, Roman, who grabbed Damien by the collar. "This is bad. Dispose of all of them. Then we can escape with the boys that are still alive."

"All of them!?" Damien asked in surprise.

"Did I stutter?" Roman frowned.

"N-no, sir. It's just… that's so much money we're wasting…" Damien replied sullenly.

"Aye, I hear ya." Roman nodded. "But we can always kidnap more of them. It's a risk to all of us if any of them are saved. They might leak some of our sensitive information. We'll hold them off for as long as we can, but I need you to go around and silence all of them."

"All right, all right, I'll listen to ya." Damien sighed. "What a shame."

Roman then let Damien go. He picked up his killer axe and turned around to fight off their new enemies.

"Well then." Damien turned around and pulled out a dagger from his belt. He had an evil smirk on his face. "It seems I've got some trash to take care of. It's been so long since this assassin's blade has seen blood. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this."

Most of the slaves turned pale in the face as he slowly made his way over. He started from one side of the room, and began to slash them to death one by one.

"Why does this happen to me!?" Noire whimpered. She was on the far side of the room, but that doesn't mean that Damien will not make his way over in time. "Please, Naga… what did I do to deserve this?"

**With Robin…**

"We have to hurry!" Robin urged the rest of his group. "We don't have as many people who can take a hit, so everyone also needs to be extra careful. The opponents are all fliers, so mages get your wind tomes ready."

Sure enough, as they approached the warehouse that stored all of the slaves, they saw some Griffon Riders and Dark Fliers sitting around the entrance.

"Nowi, Lady Tiki, whenever you're ready." Robin whispered.

The two manaketes made eye contact with one another and shapeshifted. They each sent a blast of their fiery breath at their opponents, startling them all and causing them to try and get airborne.

That was a severe mistake. As soon as they all took flight, Robin gave another signal and the mages all sent a wave of wind magic at their opponents simultaneously. Rexcalibur from Ricken, Miriel and Maribelle, while Robin, Sumia, Tharja and Henry threw out Arcwind. The blades of wind rushed forward, and shredded the wings of most of the fliers, sending the majority of the slavers careening towards the ground.

After their initial attack, Cherche, Cordelia and Cynthia rushed forward and began to engage in some of the surviving fliers. Sumia put away her tome and took out her silver lance and joined the fray.

Through all the distraction her allies were able to create, Olivia managed to sneak in closer. She hid in the tall grass, which was not too difficult for the petite pinkette to do. She took airm with her bow at any flier close enough, and began to shoot them down. She tried to focus on enemies that were focused on her own allies, but not the ones too close to her friends in order to avoid friendly fire. As a result, Olivia managed to hit and shoot down some of the more fragile Dark Fliers.

A Griffon Rider seemed to take notice of Olivia and changed direction. He began to dive towards the assassin with his axe raised. At first, Olivia pretended to not notice, but as the Griffon Rider drew close, she instantly ducked and tumbled out of the way. The Griffon Rider didn't manage to hit anything, but while he was near the ground, Lon'qu jumped out and slashed him right off his mount.

"Thanks!" Olivia called out as she removed two more arrows from her quiver. She bit down on the shaft of one of the arrows in order to free both her hands to fire the other. As soon as she fired, Olivia took the arrow from her mouth in order to shoot a second arrow extremely fast. She then repeated the process. Any flier that tried to attack Olivia was killed by Lon'qu, who was always lurking near her.

As their opponents fell one by one, Robin's group began to inch forward. Soon they killed all of the fliers, and their group gathered in front of the warehouse.

"My, my." A large, muscular Berserker said as he stepped out. "You all sure move fast. What a shame, I was hoping I could save a few more of my brothers. Guess I underestimated you lot."

"Who are you?" Robin asked.

"I'm Roman, and I'm the second in command here." the Berserker introduced himself. "And you're not getting an inch further."

"Don't be ridiculous." Robin scoffed. "You can't stop all of us."

"Try me." Roman lifted his axe. "Even if I go down, I'm taking a couple of you with me."

"Lon'qu." Robin called. The swordmaster instantly was at his side. "Take him on. Keep him busy while our mages wittle him down from a distance. That man is dangerous."

"What? You scared?" Roman taunted. "Can't fight me in an even fight with that little toy sword of yours?"

"There's simply no need for us to take any risks." Robin chuckled. "We hold all the chips in this situation, there's no reason for us to do anything dangerous for the sake of pride."

With that, Lon'qu stepped forward and brandished his sword. Much to Robin's word, Lon'qu simply darted around, dodging all of Roman's swings. In the meantime, Miriel, Tharja and Henry threw spell after spell at the enemy Berserker whenever there was some space between him and Lon'qu.

This gave Robin some time to check the Hekseer. The fact that Roman would so diligently guard the entrance was triggering some alarms in his head.

The results almost made him throw up.

"What's wrong?" Lissa asked in worry as she saw Robin's reaction. Usually, Robin wasn't so easily revolted.

"They're being slaughtered." Robin said plainly. "Probably to prevent them from telling us anything of value."

"WHAT!?" Lissa exclaimed. "That's… that's _inhumane!"_

Robin wordlessly pulled out his scythe. His eyes were glowing once again. It was a look Lissa had not seen in a while, but certainly remembered.

"Finish things out here." Robin commanded. "I'll go on ahead."

Robin began to run past Roman, but the Berserker was intent on stopping him.

"Not so fast!" Roman exclaimed as he swung at Robin horizontally. There was no way for Robin to move towards the warehouse and dodge the swipe at the same time. Or at least, with the way he swung, there should've been no way. But, to the surprise of everyone, Robin didn't even attempt to dodge the swing. He simply blinked out of existence for a split second, and reappeared a few meters in the direction he was running in.

"What the-?" Roman asked in confusion. His eyes couldn't comprehend what had happened.

Unfortunately for the shepherds, they didn't expect it either. As such, they lost a valuable opportunity to kill Roman while he was distracted. Lon'qu was the first to recollect himself, and slashed his killing edge across Roman's arm.

"He's not your opponent." Lon'qu stated.

Roman gritted his teeth, but he didn't have the luxury of going after Robin at the time. He reluctantly re-engaged Lon'qu and the other shepherds.

Robin, in the meantime, didn't have anything on his mind other than killing the Assassin inside the warehouse. Damien realized something was wrong, and turned around to see an absolutely furious Robin barreling towards him.

"Stop right there!" Damien snarled as he hid behind his next victim. He pressed his blade against the whimpering girl's neck. "Not one step closer or the girl gets it!"

Damien was hoping that it would cause Robin to stop. Then he could attempt to coerce Robin into dropping his weapon, only to kill him from a distance with his throwing knife. However, Robin didn't even care. The last thing Damien saw was Robin running towards him, before he suddenly blinked out of existence.

Robin had seemingly teleported a short distance and placed himself right behind Damien.

"People like you do not deserve to live." Robin told him coldly. He grasped the back of Damien's head with his left hand and immediately began to channel energy into his palm. The blast of energy that ensued blew through Damien's skull, spewing blood, pieces of his skull, and his brain several meters away. The rest of Damien's body fell limp to the ground when Robin let go of him.

The remaining slaves that were still alive were somewhat relieved that their assailant had been killed, but they also couldn't shake the uncertainty in their hearts. After all, if this new person was a part of another slaving organization, then they might find themselves in even worse shape. They trembled in fear at Robin, especially since he had a menacing expression and glowing eyes.

Robin seemed to understand this, though. He quickly tried to calm them down. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here safely. I just need everyone to cooperate with me."

The slaves nodded numbly. At around this time, the rest of the shepherds walked through the entrance of the warehouse.

"That man was a tough one." Lissa reported. "He just didn't want to stay down. But we made sure to deal with him as quickly as possible."

"Good." Robin smiled. "Olivia, would you be so kind? These ladies would surely appreciate it if you could unchain them. And after that, their bruises look like they could use some attention. We have plenty of time, so healers please focus on treating all of them."

"Yeah, no problem!" The pinkette immediately pulled out the set of lockpicks Gaius had gifted her, and began to work on their prisoner's bindings.

"OMIGOSH, Noire, is that YOU!?" Cynthia exclaimed when she saw her friend.

"C-cynthia?" Noire asked meekly. "Is that really you?"

"Yes!" Cynthia immediately went over to her friend. "Brady! Get over here! I found Noire!"

"What th-!" Brady hobbled his way over. "Noire!? What 'n tarnation are ya doin' here?"

"I… I was captured, earlier today." Noire explained as Brady got to work healing his friend. "And if you guys hadn't gotten here in time… I… I might have…"

At this point, Noire had begun to break down.

"There, there." Brady tried to comfort his crying friend. "The point is that we're here now. Y'all can rest easy."

"Th-thanks…" Noire sobbed.

"Don't worry about a thing." Cynthia agreed. "Now that we're reunited, you're staying with us!"

"Yeah…" Noire sniffled. "I'd like that."

"So, what's the plan now?" Cordelia asked. She didn't have anything she could really help with at the moment, so she was kind of standing awkwardly to the side.

"Well, it seems that Chrom and the others were successful as well." Robin informed her. "Apparently they've killed the slavers' leader, and captured two other people of interest. They're bringing them over here as we speak. Unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately?" Cordelia wondered curiously.

"They've also found the bodies of two women in that warehouse." Robin sighed. "According to Sully, they were apparently raped to death."

Cordelia clenched her fists. "Damn…"

"And what's worse, many of the hostages here were killed as well." Robin lamented.

"Yes, but we still saved many of them." Cordelia reminded him. "That's SOMETHING, isn't it?"

"Actually, I was wondering…" Nowi came over. "We all saw you blink right by that big muscular guy, Robin. How did you do that?"

"I… actually, I don't know either." Robin admitted. "I was just acting without thinking. In the moment, all I was thinking about was saving as many of the hostages as possible."

"I think I may have an answer to that question." Tiki finally spoke.

"You do!?" Nowi asked. "What is it?"

"Robin's true power is beginning to awaken little by little." Tiki explained. "Much like how Chrom has the blood of the Exalt in him, Robin also comes from a special line."

"Oh… yeah I guess he is both Plegian and Valmese nobility, isn't he?" Nowi seemed deep in thought. "Yeah, that makes sense I guess."

Tiki looked like she wanted to say something else, but Robin spoke first.

"Looks like Chrom and the others are here." The tactician said as he began to move towards the entrance of the warehouse. "I'm going to meet with him to discuss what's next."

With that, Robin left the rest of his group to take care of the recently freed hostages and began to walk towards Chrom and the others. Not only was his mind racing with possibilities of what was next, it was also pondering what Tiki had mentioned to him.

**Noire: HP: 60% Str: 55% Mag: 45% Skl: 75% Spd: 65% Lck: 25% Def: 30% Res: 50%**

**Age: 15**

**Class: Archer**


	35. Twin Wyverns

**Author's Notes:**

**I don't actually have that much to say this time. I apologize if this chapter seems a little rushed (especially the latter half), but I promise that there will be some clarifications in the coming chapter.**

**For now, here is chapter 35:**

**Slaver's Warehouse…**

"How was it?" Chrom asked his friend and strategist. "Everything turned out fine?"

"I guess you could say…" Robin sighed. "It could've gone better, but it also could have been a lot worse."

"Then let's be optimistic." Gaius suggested.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Robin conceded. "We did save some lives after all. How did things go on your end?"

"We took down their leader, and captured those two." Chrom gestured behind him, and Robin saw Vaike and Frederick holding onto two struggling men. "They aren't fighters, and according to documents that we found in the warehouse, they seem to be operatives working for the Valmese Black Market. My best guess, they're probably here in order to buy the slaves that these people have captured. And that's not even the worst part: you'll never guess who else is involved in the market."

"Who?" Robin asked, feeling quite intrigued.

"Excellus." Chrom revealed.

"Excellus!?" Cordelia exclaimed in shock. "You mean, the short, fat, sage that worked for Walhart?"

"Aye ma'am." Say'ri let out a sigh. "The very same. Just when I thought there was no way that pig could be any worse of a human being, he just had to go prove me wrong."

"And my uncle... " Robin continued. "Did Walhart know about this?"

"We don't know for certain." Chrom shrugged. "But on the other hand, we have no evidence that he encouraged this either. The documents never refer to Walhart a single time, but Excellus was in all of them. It's possible that it was something he did on the side, and Walhart was in the dark about the whole thing."

"That's probably how he was able to fill his pockets then." Robin surmised. "I looked into him, especially since we don't know if we'll run into him again at some point. He wasn't born into a wealthy family, nor did he have a high paying occupation, but nevertheless, Excellus mysteriously accumulated a large sum of wealth from somewhere. It's possible that this black market is where he got it all."

"Regardless, these two people are making me sick just from looking at them." Cordelia spat, gesturing towards the two captives the shepherds gained from the whole operation with her lance. "Can I kill them, please?"

"Pardon my intrusion," Frederick interjected. "But methinks that these two we've captured could potentially have valuable information. It would be prudent of us to try and question them to try and get a better understanding of the situation."

"Yeah, but the problem is that these guys' jaws are clamped tighter than a bear trap." Vaike sighed. "I don't think we're gonna get anything out of them."

"Not with your style of questioning." Gaius chuckled as he pulled out a dagger and began cleaning it. "All you did was ask them a few questions. They don't have any… _incentive_ to start talking. But let's say we start lopping off parts of them that they don't need… maybe start with the fingers…"

The black market operatives paled slightly, but did their best not to show it.

"That's enough." Chrom stated. "No matter how desperate we are to find out, I will not allow for the shepherds to do such a thing to a captive. We cannot allow ourselves to stoop to the criminal's level."

"Yeah, you're right." Gaius conceded. "Sorry about that one, Blue. I was just jokin'."

"I think I might have a solution." Robin suggested.

"And what might that be?" Chrom asked.

"You just let me handle the questioning of these guys." Robin gestured towards their captives. "Meanwhile, as our leader, I think you should go see the captives yourself. Maybe give them a word of encouragement or two… and possibly a means for them to return home and such…"

"Yeah, I'll get to it." Chrom agreed. "Seems a lot easier than interrogation at least."

With that, Chrom gave Robin a pat on the shoulder for good luck as he went inside to see the captives for themselves.

Robin slowly made his way towards Frederick and Vaike. "Now let's see what we have here…"

"We aren't gonna tell you anything, so you can stop wasting your time!" One of the operatives confidently told him.

"Oh I wasn't planning on asking you anything." Robin gave them a smile that sent a shiver down everyone's spine, including the shepherds who had seen him.

"W-what are you talking about?" The other one asked.

"Oh you'll find out." Robin told him as his hands began to glow with purple energy. He grasped the head of each of the captives with one of his hands, placing his palm on their foreheads. His victims felt a surge of electricity coursing through them as Robin began to scan their memories. Having some better control over the situation, Robin was able to only look at memories from the two that were relevant to what he needed to know.

"Yes…" Robin almost purred. "You two have been _quite _useful…"

**With Chrom…**

Chrom had attempted to steel himself for what he was about to see. After all, these were victims of human trafficking that he was about to see. However, he found that even with his mental preparation, it was nowhere near enough to stop himself from being disgusted.

"Father!" Cynthia ran up to him as soon as he approached the slaves. "We found Noire! Noire is here!"

"Wh-who?" Chrom sputtered, completely caught off guard by his energetic daughter.

"Noire!" Cynthia exclaimed. "She's one of our friends."

"Ah." Chrom nodded in understanding. "W-wait… if she was here, then that means…"

"Yeah…" Cynthia nodded. "But don't worry, she said she was only here a couple of hours. She does seem to be in better shape then most of the others."

With that, Chrom was approached by a young, blonde who was being ushered towards him by Brady.

"U-um… hello… sir." Noire told him meekly. "M-my name is N-noire… my mother is… Tharja and my father is… Libra…"

"You're… Tharja's kid?" Chrom asked, slightly dumbfounded. "Nevermind. I'm sure you're dying to meet your parents again. They're probably back by the entrance. Lucina is over there too."

"T-thank you sir!" Noire bowed, and immediately took off to find her mom and dad. Cynthia and Brady followed closely behind her.

Once Noire had left, Chrom turned to the rest of the captives. "I cannot even begin to imagine what all of you have been through. And although we'd like to help, we also need to worry about our own coffers. I'll offer each and every one of you one thousand gold pieces, which can hopefully cover the cost of going home."

The captives turned and looked at each other. It was clear that many of them had doubtful expressions on their faces. For many of them, it had been months since anyone had shown them a shred of decency, much less kindness. Many of them had begun to feel that other people, especially men, were incapable of treating them with anything other than abuse.

Finally, one of the captives spoke.

"I beg your pardon, milord." A brunette clumsily prostrated in front of Chrom.

"There's no need for that." Chrom sighed as he kneeled down and tried to get the girl to get up. "After what you've already been through, I would feel ashamed if I accepted that gesture from you. Instead, could you tell me who I am currently speaking to?"

"My name is Kayla milord." The brunette told him. "I am one of the girls that have been held here the longest. And from what I know, the story is pretty much the same for each and every one of us. I think I can speak for everyone here that the gesture is greatly appreciated, but the truth of the matter is, it really doesn't matter how much you give us, almost none of us have a home to return to anymore."

"And what do you mean by that?" Chrom asked gently.

"Ezra… he's the man behind all of this." Kayla explained. "He and his men find and track girls who have few remaining family members. As an example, my parents are both dead, so it was just me and my husband. But when he suddenly died of illness, I was left a widow with no further connections. I ran out of money and was forced to sleep in the streets, which was when Ezra and his men kidnapped me."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Chrom said sincerely.

"And that is just my backstory." Kayla continued. "There are some of us here who had a single grandparent, or a distant relative. When Ezra and his men found out, they murdered their remaining family member and captured them. In one case, they even made the murder seem like a tragic accident, and pretended to take in the surviving girl. In another case, they bribed this other girl's father, who had been in poverty, to sell his daughter for some personal gain. But the easiest targets for him to rake in were orphans. They were usually extremely young, and from what I can tell, make him the most money…"

"Stop." Chrom closed his eyes and put up his hand. "I mean no disrespect towards what you all have been through… it's just… I don't think I can listen to another word. This Ezra sounds like a disgusting man, and although we've sent him to the depths of hell, I'm afraid there is no other way for us to help you then."

"Well I've got an idea." Cherche interrupted.

"And what might that be?" Chrom asked.

"Well, as you know, Virion's land has been given back to him." Cherche smiled, like the idea of returning to Rosanne pleased her greatly, which of course, it did. "But I'm afraid that besides me, none of his maids or household staff remain at his side. Many have died due to the invasion, and the others we've lost contact with. So as you can see, there seems to be many vacant positions, all of which I think I can offer to these girls."

The ex captives began to whisper to each other once again. Although getting hired meant they would have a place to go, they were still inherently suspicious about strangers.

"And you of all people would be fine with that?" Chrom asked. "I'm sure you know better than all of us how much of a philanderer Virion can be."

"It's fine." Cherche giggled in a surprisingly carefree manner. "My dearest Minerva promised that she would help me… discipline him if he were to stray from my side. And as much of a philanderer he can be, I doubt that he would swoop as low as to seduce victims of human trafficking. He'll be more than happy to help out some women in trouble, but I doubt he'll do anything that would… upset Minerva."

She turned to the ex captives. "Well girls? What do you think? I haven't seen what's left of my fiance's treasury yet, so I can't say exactly how the pay would be. But I can guarantee that if you accept the offer, you'll have a warm bed to sleep in and food in your stomach. At least, until you find something better."

"Virion… you mean duke Virion!?" Kayla asked.

"The very same." Cherche cheerfully said.

At this, there were some more murmuring among Ezra's victims. However, this time, almost all of them seemed to be optimistic about the offer. Even the most doubtful girls seemed to seriously consider it. Kayla turned around and joined in the murmuring as well.

"Wow, it seems that Virion has quite the reputation around these parts." Chrom chuckled.

"Mmhmm…" Cherche agreed. "Say what you want about him. Even though Virion is a man of many faults, he always has put his people first. Before the invasion, he spent many of his days delivering food to starving villages and creating jobs for the lower class."

"I wouldn't have guessed." Chrom chuckled. "Looks like I could learn a thing or two from him. That's something I never thought I would say."

Finally, the murmuring came to a stop. Kayla once again, as the chosen spokesperson, gave Cherche their unanimous answer. "We've discussed amongst ourselves, and the consensus is that we'll all be happy to accept your offer… mistress."

With that, all of the girls gave Cherche a bow or a curtsy.

"My, my." Cherche covered her mouth with one hand. "This was something I'd never thought I'd experience. I guess I am moving up in the world."

"Well that's settled then." Chrom chuckled. "We might not be far from Virion's estate, but I doubt that these girls are in the condition to march at the same pace as us. I'll go find Anna, and see if we can't find an empty carriage in our convoy for them to sit in while we march."

"Thank you sir!" Kayla exclaimed once again. "Thank you to all of you! We can't even begin to show enough gratitude for all you've done for us." Tears had begun to fall from her face.

"You've been too accustomed to being wronged." Chrom shook his head. "That's why I can't accept your gratitude. We're just treating you like human beings, which does not deserve any praise at all. So don't think too much of it. We'll get you to your new home by day's end."

With that, the Exalt left to return to his tactician's side.

"If only… if only all men were like him…" Kayla murmured under her breath.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina was too captivated by whatever it was that Robin was doing that she let her guard down. Which was why it came as a surprise to her when she suddenly got tackled in a hug. The startled princess reflexively reached for her Falchion, but calmed down once the culprit began to speak.

"Oh Lucina!" Noire sobbed. "I've missed you so much! I've missed everyone so much!"

"N-noire!?" Lucina asked in disbelief. "Is that really you?"

"It sure is!" Cynthia replied as she arrived a short moment later.

"Oh, Naga above, were you one of the captured slaves?" Lucina asked in worry as she turned around to face her friend.

"Yes, Lucy." Noire sniffled. "But I wasn't harmed… at least compared to everyone else, I really got lucky. I was captured just earlier today."

"Then it looks like our timing was perfect then." Lucina brushed away a strand of hair from Noire's face. "I'm sure you miss your parents too. They're here. Why don't you go find them?"

"Y-yes!" Noire seemed to suddenly remember that they had gone to the past and that they could once again meet their parents. She quickly ran off to do just that.

"So that's another one." Cynthia walked next to her older sister. Meanwhile, Brady, who had just caught up, was busy catching his breath. "Who knows? Maybe we'll all be reunited sometime soon!"

Lucina smiled as she watched Noire find her parents.

"Father! Father!" Noire sobbed as she dove into Libra's arms.

"You've mistaken, young lady." Libra told her. "Although I am a member of Ylisse's religious order, I am not yet qualified to be referred to as such."

"No, that's not what I meant!" Noire protested as she continued to cry. "I mean, you're my real father! Oh, how I have missed you!"

Libra seemed justifiably confused by the whole scene, until she saw Lucina, Cynthia and Brady looking towards him. He then seemed to understand the situation.

"Then it seems you've been through quite a lot." Libra returned the hug. "My daughter."

"Who is this?" Tharja hissed when she turned around to see Libra hugging an unknown young girl. "Aren't you a priest? I thought you were better than this, Libra."

"Eek!" Noire squeaked. "M-mother!"

Lucina couldn't help but giggle at her friend's reaction. That's always how it's been. Noire was extremely cautious of her mother, especially since Tharja would use her as a guinea pig on her new spells, and as a result, has grown to be extremely close to her father instead.

"Mother!?" Tharja snapped. "What delusional wench did you find!?"

"W-wait!" Noire fumbled at her necklace. "My talisman! Where is… there!"

Suddenly, her whole demeanor seemed to change.

"I AM BLOOD AND THUNDER!" Noire declared with a menacing expression. "I AM A RIGHTEOUS FURY! I AM YOUR FUTURE DAUGHTER! IF YOU REQUIRE FURTHER PROOF, I CARRY YOUR RING WITH ME!"

Noire presented Tharja with the jewelry in question, but Tharja didn't seem to care all that much.

"Ah, my ring." Tharja shrugged. "Nice. Now let me see that talisman." She grabbed it from Noire's hands.

"B-but wait!" Noire protested, returning to her usual, meek self.

Tharja took the time to examine it. "Ah… the future me… is very very good… and very very bad! Ooh… I can't wait!"

Then she let out a cackle that chilled everyone, including Robin, to their very core. Noire whimpered from Libra's arms.

There was an awkward silence among everyone, which thankfully didn't last long because Chrom had returned from within the warehouse.

"So, Robin." The Exalt asked. "Any results?"

"Of course." Robin smiled, which confused the black market operatives. They hadn't said a word after all. "This Valmese Black Market was founded by Excellus and is organized by a small group of individuals. They then commission other brigandes and criminals and pay them for acquiring illegal goods, such as drugs, wyverns or people. These criminals are then compensated for their efforts by being paid a portion of the profits that the black market gains from auctioning the goods."

He then went on to reveal the entire market structure, as well as the chain of command, being able to name a few key people in the process. The shepherds who had seen Robin's 'interrogation' were two parts impressed and one part concerned, and the rapid paling of the operatives' faces was a clear indication that Robin's information was true.

"Now then, I believe I've extracted as much information from them as possible." Robin declared after he had finished. "I believe that means these two are no longer of use to us. Do we have permission to dispose of them?"

"Y-yeah… sure." Chrom nodded numbly.

"Great!" Robin snapped his fingers. "Now I believe this should be on a first come first serve basis. Since Cordelia had indicated she would like the honor, why doesn't she be the one to kill them off?"

"With pleasure…" Cordelia purred as she reached for her lance. She ignored the whimpers and cries for mercy from the pair as she ran them through with her spear.

At this point, everyone present had been rather accustomed to killing, and the fact that these operatives were despicable human beings made it a lot easier. There was not a single voice of dissent to the double execution.

"Well then," Chrom spoke again. "Cherche has offered these people's captives a place in House Virion as servants. So we'll be taking them with us. According to her, we should be really close to his estate. We should definitely reach there by day's end. I'm thinking that, since these girls haven't been given a proper meal in who knows how long, we should cook up a feast for them. Virion should have a decently sized kitchen in his household, I'd imagine. Do we have any volunteers?"

"I'll do it." Robin raised his hand, much to the delight of everyone present. "It's been a while since I had a kitchen shift after all. Although, I should check with Cherche to see if there are any markets in the area."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Chrom smiled. "Now once the girls are ready to move out, we'll head back to the convoy. Anna, if you could find some place for them to sit so that they won't have to march, it would be great."

"Yeah, no problem!" Anna exclaimed quickly. "Just leave that to me!"

"Oh, and by the way, Robin," Chrom continued. "Feel free to spend as much as you need on ingredients tonight."

"Um… what?" Robin blinked a few times, not thinking he heard correctly.

"I promised the girls one thousand gold each in order to help them get home, but seeing as they won't be needing it, we may as well put it towards tonight's dinner. It's for them, after all. I highly doubt that you could spend more than that much even if you tried."

"I'll see what I can do then." Robin smirked. "It won't be a disappointment."

And so, the shepherds dispersed in order to get ready to move out. Robin, seeing Lucina busy in conversation with her friends, decided not to bother her and went looking for Cherche.

**Moments Later…**

Robin was currently sitting in an empty cart. It was being pulled along by Stahl and his horse. Overhead, Sumia was flying on top her Falicorn. They had rode on ahead, because there was an extremely good market near Virion's place of residence, but by the time the rest of the shepherds marched there, they might already be closed. Therefore, Miriel had come up with the idea to let a much smaller group march on ahead. With far less people, they could afford to travel faster, and go longer without taking breaks. Naturally, Robin would be part of this group since he would be doing the cooking. Stahl and Sumia had volunteered to help him, which Robin gladly accepted, especially since they were both competent in the kitchen.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Stahl chuckled as he looked back towards Robin from atop his horse.

"Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on that one." Robin nodded. "Makes you forget we're even marching. It just feels like we're out on the countryside, enjoying the weather."

"Sully doesn't really enjoy these types of things, so she shouldn't be that upset that I volunteered to be part of this whole thing." Stahl absentmindedly said.

"And why do you bring that up?" Robin asked.

"Oh, I think you know." Stahl turned around and gave him a wink. "Don't tell me you weren't paying attention to Lucina's reaction. Did you see her? She looked like she was about to throw a childish fit when it was decided that you would be going on ahead. I'd bet good coin that she's sulking and dragging her feet along as we speak."

"Stop it." Robin chuckled.

"What can I say?" Stahl shrugged. "Must be those teenager mood swings or something, I guess."

"You and I are not much older." Robin countered.

"Yeah." Stahl chuckled. "Still kinda comes as a shock, doesn't it? Here we are, with ol' Chrom's fully grown daughter, who happens to be just a couple years younger than us… and to think she has already accomplished so much already…"

"Well, I won't try and discredit what Lucina has been through." Robin nodded in agreement. "But, we also can't be too harsh on Chrom either. He hasn't even hit twenty one yet, and he's already won two major wars as Ylisse's Exalt. That's pretty impressive in and of itself."

"Yeah, you're right." Stahl conceded. "By the way, what's for dinner tonight?"

"Hmm…" Robin cupped his chin with one hand. "I'm not certain yet. Rosannese food is quite delightful, though I am not an expert at making it. Rosanne is a land where they grow a multitude of herbs and spices, so we can definitely get some at a reasonable price. As for the main dish, I'm thinking of making a curry of some kind, but maybe not something too spicy… I don't know how much spice everyone can take… and as for the side dishes…"

Smoke practically flew up from Robin's head as he brainstormed ideas to himself.

"I'll let you worry about it then." Stahl chuckled. "Whatever it is you're planning, I'm sure it will be good. And I get to help make it too… I can smell the wonderful aromas already!"

They marched for another half hour in relative silence. Suddenly, Sumia descended towards the ground and landed near the pair.

"We're just about there." The Dark Flier declared. "It looks like there are still people shopping, so that's a good sign."

"Right." Robin immediately got a notepad as well as a quill pen from the bag at his side and began to scribble some ingredients onto the paper. "Here's what I'll need the two of you to get… this one is for Stahl…" Robin ripped out a sheet and handed it to the cavalier. "And this one is for you, Sumia." Robin ripped out another and handed it to her as well.

"These are all meats." Stahl looked at Robin as he read his ingredient list.

"And mine are vegetables." Sumia said after reading hers.

"Right. I will get the seasonings as well as everything else." Robin nodded. "But I'm sure the stuff I'm asking you to buy are all things you've bought before. By dividing it up this way, we can be most efficient. Once we have everything, we might be able to get to Virion's estate before everyone else, and begin cooking right away."

At this point, they've reached a small, bustling town where merchants were selling their product from roadside stands. The three of them split up, and began purchasing the necessary ingredients. It was a rather trivial task, at least for Sumia and Stahl, because Robin had written down approximately how much of each ingredient he needed. Soon, they were finished and met back at their cart.

"Would you look at all of this!" Stahl exclaimed as marveled at everything in the cart. "Oh man, are we eating good tonight! My stomach is dying from anticipation!"

"Calm down, Stahl." Sumia giggled. "You have to help make it too!"

"It IS a pretty good haul." Robin agreed. "And we actually spent less than expected, which is a plus. I guess all that's left to do is head over to Virion's place and begin cooking!"

Sumia and Stahl wholeheartedly agreed. The three of them made their way over as fast as they possibly could.

Cherche was correct. The market was extremely close to where Virion lived. And there was no way Robin was at the wrong place either. There wasn't a single building within eyeshot of this mansion that was anything like it. They found that, although the others hadn't arrived yet, the doors to the mansion were open. Inside, it was clear that no one had lived here for quite some time, and cobwebs covered everything. However, there were also no signs that it had been completely ransacked either.

The three cleaned off the kitchen area, and began their cooking.

**With Noire…**

Under her friends' suggestion, Noire decided to ride in the back wagon with the rest of the freed girls. They had argued that she had been through enough for one day, and there was no reason why she should have to walk with the rest of them. Noire felt a little uncomfortable by it, but agreed to it nonetheless.

She quickly found herself the center of attention by all the other girls in the caravan.

"So do you know these people?" Kayla asked her.

"U-um… yes I do." Noire told her meekly. "They're… basically my family. I… got separated from them a while ago."

"Wow…" Kayla looked almost jealous. "By the way, I never found out YOUR name."

"Oh, it's… Noire…" Noire told her.

"Was this group formed by Duke Virion after Rosanne was invaded?" Kayla continued.

"It must be!" One of the other girls chimed in. "Duke Virion probably made this group for the sole purpose of winning back Rosanne from Walhart!"

"A-actually… he's not." Noire told them. "C-chrom is… he's the blue haired man you all talked to."

"Oh." Kayla said in mild surprise. "So is Duke Virion, like, the second in command then? He must have some sort of high rank right?"

"U-um… from what I know… he's just a shepherd… like everyone else." Noire informed them.

Murmurs of disbelief could be heard from within the wagon.

"You mean to say that any one of them has the same rank as Duke Virion!?" Kayla asked in disbelief.

"That's correct." Noire sighed. This all was pretty common knowledge for her, but everyone in the wagon stared at her like she just revealed some new discovery. "They're all… good people. And strong too…"

"Well, we don't doubt that." Kayla agreed.

"I'm… feeling… tired." Noire admitted out loud. "I think… I'm going to sleep… for a little bit."

"All right then, you do that." Kayla replied. "I'll wake you up when we get there."

"Th-thanks…" Noire muttered before closing her eyes. The gentle bumps along the road lulled Noire into a deep slumber. She was actually extremely tired, so it wasn't difficult for her to fall asleep at all. In fact, she didn't wake up until Kayla nudged her awake once they had reached Virion's mansion.

**With Lucina…**

Lucina was in a grumpy mood. She was SUPPOSED to have been able to walk alongside Robin for the past couple of hours. They could have had a pleasant conversation while the warm sun shined down on them and the gentle breeze blew across their faces. But instead, Robin had been sent on ahead in order to buy food. She had never been the best at hiding her emotions, so her discontentment was clearly displayed across her face as she walked.

Lucina was too busy grumbling to herself to see her friends laughing at the sight of her. Even some of the shepherds began to snicker at the pouting Lucina.

Finally, Anna couldn't help herself anymore. "It's only an hour or two away now." The redhead told Lucina. "There's no need to look so glum. You'll be reunited with your prince soon enough."

Lucina, realizing that Anna, and possibly others, had just seen right through her, began to blush a crimson red. "That's-"

"Save it, sis." Cynthia giggled. "You'll only incriminate yourself further if you try and argue."

"Ugh…" Lucina covered her face with her hands in order to try and mask her embarrassment.

Eventually, they did reach their destination. As they approached, the shepherds could smell the delicious aroma of food being made. Specifically, the aroma of _Robin's _food being made.

"They must have already started cooking." Chrom surmised.

"Can't we go ANY faster?" Lissa asked. "I'm beginning to starve over here!"

Once the smell hit Lucina's nose, she instantly changed her mind about Robin leaving her in order to go buy ingredients. Her new conclusion was that it was worth it in the end. After all, the hard part was over. Now she'd get to reap the benefits of eating some delicious food much earlier than the alternative.

"Ah, home, sweet home." Cherche sighed at the nostalgic sight. "We'll probably have to do some renovations… and a whole lot of cleaning… At least there will be things for the girls to do."

"So where should we set up?" Chrom asked. "I know you showed Flavia and the other soldiers a large, open area for them to set up for the night, but what about us?"

"The mansion, normally would be able to house all of us." Cherche replied. "However, I don't trust its current state. It's probably better if we set up camp around it instead. As for dinner, I think it would also be best to eat outside. Although, I'm not sure the regular mess tent will be able to seat everyone."

"We could have a picnic!" Nowi exclaimed. "Let's not even bother setting up a food tent then! Everyone could just eat outside on the grass!"

"I suppose that is acceptable." Cherche agreed.

"Now then, while Robin and the others are finishing up with dinner, let's set up camp for the night." Chrom turned to give orders to the shepherds.

The shepherds began to set up camp at Chrom's command. However, many of them were unable to put all of their effort into it because the smells coming out of the kitchen windows was a severe distraction. Although it took longer than usual, eventually the shepherds managed to finish setting up for the night.

The timing could not be more perfect, because right when they finished, Sumia declared that dinner was ready to be served.

Gaius flew over immediately to grab a bowl and get in line, which was somewhat understandable. The shepherds would always jostle for a better spot in line whenever dinner was expected to be really good after all. However, this time, Cordelia grabbed him by the back of his collar, and pulled him away.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Gaius protested.

"Mind your manners!" Cordelia retorted. "We have guests tonight, remember?"

"I finally got to be first in line too…" Gaius mock cried.

After an excruciatingly long wait for poor Gaius, he eventually did get a big bowl of curry and rice. Lifting the limit on how much Robin was allowed to spend had some extremely obvious results. The food was more delightful than anything he had cooked for the shepherds before.

Many of the people who tasted it, including Noire, were moved to tears. And it was no exaggeration either. For Noire, it had literally been years since she had a proper meal, and even those could not lift a candle to what she was currently eating.

The big surprise was when Virion got up from the carriage he had been lying in, and came over to eat with everyone else.

"Feeling better?" Ricken asked when he saw the Sniper walk over with a bowl of food.

"Well enough to stand, at least." Virion replied. "To be honest, I could use a few more hours of rest, but 'twould be a crime to not eat when there is food as marvelous as this!"

The people sitting around them laughed, as they could not easily refute the statement. Virion was surprised with the addition of so many people, but Cherche explained the whole situation to him. Once he got a grasp of what had happened, he welcomed his new servants with open arms. In turn, they flocked around him. Once they saw him, all doubts in their minds were erased as they knew for sure that this man had to be Duke Virion.

Even after making three times the usual amount of food, everything was eaten in record time. Dishes took longer than usual, but Robin, as usual, received a large amount of help on that front.

Virion's new maids had their first free evening in quite a long time. They spent it admiring their surroundings and simply relishing their new freedom, much like how a caged bird might react when it is finally set free.

Soon evening passed and it was nighttime. Cherche showed the new maids to their future rooms, and although many of them were dusty and disorganized, none of them minded at all. The fact that they had a mattress to sleep on was a luxury that most of them had forgotten about. Their new sleeping conditions could not even be compared to falling asleep on the cold, hard ground with no blankets. They only had the heat released from the other captives to keep them warm.

Many of the other shepherds retired to their tents for the night after an understandably exhausting day. Robin, however, took the opportunity to lie on the grass and look up to the night sky. Lucina was just about to head to her own tent when she noticed him. Seeing the perfect opportunity for a moment alone with him, she walked over and sat down next to the stargazing Robin.

"Looking at the stars?" Lucina asked.

Robin turned to look at her. "Oh… yeah. But it's much worse than up in the Mila Tree. We're kind of close to a few towns, so there's some light pollution. You can't see things as clearly here."

"It… looks the same to me." Lucina admitted as she laid down next to him and rested her head on his arm.

They stayed there in silence for a few moments.

"Hey Robin?" Lucina asked.

"Yes?" The tactician responded.

"What's over there?" Lucina pointed towards their south. "It looks like there are some lights over there… but it doesn't look like a town. And some of the lights are blinking through the air as well."

"Now that you mention it, that does seem rather peculiar." Robin furrowed his brow. "My best guess is, there must be a festival or something. Those lights in the sky could possibly be people riding pegasi or something."

"I wonder what they're celebrating then…" Lucina said. She shivered as a cool breeze flew by them. Lucina let out a soft sneeze.

"Are you getting cold?" Robin asked. "Maybe we should retire for the night."

"N-no!" Lucina protested. "I'm fine. Really. Let's stay out here a little longer, please?"

"That's fine by me." Robin told her. "Just don't catch a cold."

"I won't as long as you're here." Lucina told him as she lifted Robin's arm and shifted closer to him. She rested her head on top of his chest. "Because you're warm."

The usually unfazeable Robin seemed startled by Lucina's sudden boldness. He let out a chuckle of amusement.

"W-what's wrong?" Lucina asked. "Do you… not like this?"

'There it is.' Robin thought to himself.

"No, no, it's fine." Robin assured her. "I was just surprised. That's all."

"Oh my." A new voice said, interrupting the couple's intimacy. "You lovebirds are not asleep yet?" Although she could not see it, Cherche's comment caused Lucina to once again become flustered.

"You're one to talk, Cherche." Robin responded, not bothering to look up. He had recognized her voice after all. "What are you still doing? I don't think you're on guard duty tonight."

"No, I'm not." Cherche agreed. "I just finished showing all the girls to their rooms. I was heading back to my own tent."

"Ah, that makes sense." Robin nodded. "By the way, do you know what's going on over there? Is there a festival or something?"

"Hmm? Festival?" Cherche looked towards where Robin was pointing. When she realized what was happening, her face paled.

"That's not a festival, Robin…" Cherche said shakily. "That's Wyvern Valley! And if there are people there this late at night, it could only be poachers! We have to stop them!"

"How far is it from here?" Robin asked as he sat up in alarm..

"On foot, it might take an hour to get there. If we ran." Cherche replied.

"That's no good." Robin gritted his teeth. "Still, if we don't start heading over, there would be nothing to stop anymore. Lucina, go wake everyone up and tell them to head towards Wyvern Valley immediately."

"Right." Lucina replied and immediately got up to go do just that.

"Cherche, we should get there as soon as possible." Robin continued. "Could you fly me over to Wyvern Valley?"

"Of course." Cherche replied immediately. "Let me go wake Minerva."

She immediately ran off towards the stables, with Robin closely tailing her.

**Minutes Later…**

Although it takes a long time to get to Wyvern Valley by foot, it only takes minutes by air. Robin sat right behind Cherche, holding onto her waist in order to prevent himself from falling off. He could see just how many wyverns were flying around as they approached. It reminded him of a swarm of bats from a distance.

As Minerva began to descend into Wyvern Valley, Robin could see many Wyvern Riders and Wyvern Lords flying around, cornering the native wyverns and netting them.

"Over there!" Cherche called, and pointed towards two Wyvern Riders who seemed to be in the middle of combat. "Probably fighting over who gets the larger share of their profits or something. Disgusting."

"Wait a moment," Robin patted Cherche's shoulder. "Listen."

"Stop it, you scoundrels!" the voice of a young man called as he swung his axe at another rider. "These wyverns are not meant for you to capture! They deserve to be free, and should be allowed to live their lives here in peace!"

"What madness is this!?" The other rider said. "Wyverns exist to be tamed! How much of a hypocrite could you be? Telling us they all deserve to be free when you're riding one yourself. Now get out of our way. You'll reduce the number of wyverns we can capture."

"Over my dead body!" The young man replied as he swooped in for another swing. The two locked axes, and although the masked young man seemed to have the advantage, a Wyvern Lord swooped in from above. It was clear who the newcomer was aiming for.

"Thoron!" Robin called. He launched a bold of intense electrical energy from his right hand at the dive bombing Wyvern Lord. The bolt struck the Wyvern in the neck and passed right through its body as if it were paper. The Wyvern Lord let out a blood curdling scream as he lost control over his mount. Both wyvern and rider plummeted towards the bottom of the valley. Soon, a loud thud could be heard as the pair, most likely, met their death once they hit rock bottom.

Suddenly, Cherche and Robin were the center of attention. All the animosity from the poachers were suddenly redirected towards the two of them.

Cherche let out a nervous chuckle, but Robin acted as if he didn't even care.

"Damn, I'll have to work on my aim." Robin mused to himself. "I was trying to just hit the guy riding the wyvern. Looks like my accuracy is much lower when I don't use a tome to cast a spell."

He had reacted instinctively, and did not have enough time to pull out a tome to assist in his spell casting. Furthermore, his entire hand began to feel numb from the spell cast, much like when circulation is cut off to a specific area.

"You there!" The masked man pointed his axe in their direction. "Are you with these poachers?"

"Heavens no!" Cherche exclaimed back. She couldn't see clearly, but she swore she saw him flinch when he heard her. "We're here to stop these poachers from taking away all of these cute, darling wyverns!"

"I… see." The masked young man eventually replied. "In that case, we're here for the same reason then. I propose a truce for the time being. Not that it would be anywhere close to enough."

Cherche immediately agreed as many more of the poachers began to close in on them.

"What do we do now?" Cherche asked.

"Hey young man!" Robin called out. "What's your name?"

"Gerome." The man replied quickly.

"Right, Gerome." Robin nodded. "How fast is your wyvern."

"Just as fast as yours." Gerome replied.

It was an unexpected way for him to answer the question, but Robin brushed it aside. He tapped Cherche on the shoulder. "You head back. Rally the other fliers and have each of them fly someone else over. Prioritize archers and mages."

"What about you then?" Cherche asked.

"I'm gonna hold them off with Gerome." Robin replied as he pulled out a tome from his cloak. "Catch me!"

With that, Robin jumped off of Minerva's back. Gerome's reaction was pretty good, even though he didn't understand what was happening at first. Robin secured himself right behind Gerome as soon as he landed.

"I'll be back soon!" Cherche promised as she flew away.

"Don't let her escape!" One poacher called. "She's probably getting reinforcements!"

A few of the Wyvern Lords attempted to follow her, but Robin shot them down with blasts from his Thoron tome. He was able to stop most, but not all of the ones following Cherche.

"Keep them distracted." Robin told Gerome. "You don't have to worry about fighting; just let me take care of it. All you need to do is make sure they can't swarm us. We'll kite them with my magic."

"You got it!" Gerome exclaimed. Although he wasn't certain, he had an extremely good guess on who this mystery man riding behind him might be. And if he is right, then it is very good news for him.

**With Cherche…**

Cherche flew back towards the shepherds, and began to descend when she saw their familiar marching position near the ground.

"Chrom!" Cherche called.

"What is it?" Chrom called back.

Cherche landed, and hopped off Minerva immediately. "Enemies! Wyvern Lords right behind me!"

Hearing this, Miriel immediately fired an Arcfire spell through the night sky, illuminating the area above them just enough to see three Wyvern Lords flying towards them. Virion, having practiced this method of attack before, instantly fired arrow after arrow from his silver bow. The sound of arrows hitting their targets could be heard through the air, back to back to back. Afterwards, they heard the sound of three thuds as their opponents hit the ground, dead.

"Fare thee well! The archest of archers is back on form!" Virion proudly declared.

"What's the situation?" Chrom asked the out of breath Cherche.

"Poachers." Cherche replied. "Robin's still back there, fighting with a young man we met. He sent me back in order to get more fliers. They're to each take an archer or mage as a passenger and fly to Wyvern Valley immediately!"

"Got it." Chrom immediately gave out the orders to the rest of the shepherds. "Anyone not flying, we have to hurry there on foot!"

"Naturally, I will be riding with my darling Cherche." Virion declared.

"So that means I'll ride with Cordelia." Gaius smirked.

"I'll take Miriel." Sumia added, and the bespectacled Sage immediately walked over to her.

"Tiki and I count too, right?" Nowi asked.

"Are you able to maintain your dragon form for that long?" Chrom asked in concern.

"As long as we don't expend our energy on attacks, we can stay in dragon form as long as needed." Tiki reassured him.

"Great! I'll take Henry then!" Nowi declared.

"U-um… I think I should go too, right?" Olivia stammered.

"Yes, you may ride on my back." Tiki smiled.

"E-eep!" Olivia squeaked. "I-is that… is it really all right?"

"Sure!" Tiki chuckled. "Why not?"

"I-I would be honored, milady." Olivia bowed, before walking to her side.

Off to the side, Lucina was busy arguing with Cynthia.

"Please! Take me! Noire just got back!" Lucina protested.

"I… I can fight!" Noire assured her.

"I know you're worried about your darling Robin," Cynthia shook her head. "But remember, he said we needed to bring archers and mages. That means the combat will be primarily ranged. Possibly in the air too. You'll only slow him down if you show up and are unable to participate. Just follow dad like everyone else!"

Lucina, although unhappy about it, had to concede that Cynthia made a good point. She reluctantly walked away and grouped up with the rest of the shepherds.

As soon as everything was sorted out, the fliers immediately set off for Wyvern Valley.

"What did you mean by Lucina's 'darling' Robin?" Noire asked as she rode behind Cynthia.

"Oh that?" Cynthia giggled. "That's because they're DATING now!"

"Dating!?" Noire gasped. "Really?"

"I know, right!?" Cynthia laughed. "I can't wait to see Owain's and Inigo's reactions when they find out! We'll never run out of things to tease her about ever again!"

"I think it's sweet." Noire giggled at Cynthia's antics. "I'm happy for her."

"Sure, I am too!" Cynthia replied. "But that doesn't mean we can't tease her about it either."

"I know…" Noire conceded. "Just be sure not to take things too far, though."

"Yeah, yeah." Cynthia quickly brushed it off. "Get your bow ready. We're almost there."

When they arrived at Wyvern Valley, Cherche found that there were significantly fewer poachers left. However, there were still a lot of them, and they were still following Gerome and Robin around. Seeing Robin casting Ruin over and over again, Cherche surmised that his Thoron tome must have been expended.

"Quick!" Cherche urged her allies. "We have to help him!"

Sumia started things off by imitating what Miriel did earlier. She fired an Arcfire spell through the air, illuminating their targets for the rest of them. Miriel and Henry followed up by launching a Rexcalibur and Arcwind at the poachers. Virion, Gaius, Olivia and Noire also opened fire on the wyverns chasing Gerome and Robin.

"That must be our reinforcements." Robin breathed a sigh of relief as he wiped his brow. "We should go regroup with them."

"Got it." Gerome replied as he flew towards his new, or perhaps one could say old, friends.

"You shouldn't overwork yourself." Sumia told Robin as he approached.

"I was just keeping busy, that's all." Robin chuckled.

"OMIGOSH!" Cynthia exclaimed. "It's Gerome! Hi Gerome!" The Pegasus Knight began to wave frantically at her friend.

"Great…" Gerome grumbled as he rolled his eyes. "Of all the ones I could meet up with, it HAD to be you…"

"It's Gerome?" Noire peeked out from behind Cynthia. "It really is him! Hi Gerome!"

"Noire?" Gerome recognized this voice as well. He waved back.

"Hey!" Cynthia exclaimed. "How come you greet her and not me!?"

"Finish things here first, then talk." Gerome simply said.

Cynthia grumbled, but did just that.

They all fought for another half hour. The poachers, having already invested so much into capturing the wyverns, decided it was too late for them to fold and tried everything they could possibly do in order to kill off Robin and the others. In the back of their minds, they knew that the more of their companions died, the larger their share of the profits would be, and so none of them cooperated with one another. This meant that it was extremely easy for the shepherds to kill them off.

The people who claimed the most lives by far were Miriel and Henry. While the archers certainly were effective in killing flying enemies, shooting down one rider at a time cannot be compared to wiping out an entire group with an Arcwind or Rexcalibur spell. The only other person who could give them a run for their money was Robin, but he had a head start over them.

Soon, the cliffs and bottom of the valley were littered with the corpses of the poachers and their wyverns. Robin and the others landed on some of the cliffs in order to take a break.

"Hey, guess we didn't even need ol' Blue and the others." Gaius joked.

"Maybe not the fighting, but it's still good that they're on their way." Robin smiled.

"W-why is that?" Olivia asked meekly.

"So we can loot their bodies." Robin replied. "If they're working illegally, then they probably have made a fortune. That means their equipment is probably top tier. And with their owners dead, they won't be doing anything except gathering rust here anyways. We could add them to our armory, and either repair or sell them."

"Hey, hey." Gaius waggled a finger at him. "Don't tell me you've been sleeping with Red recently. Blues Jr. will be so mad when she finds out."

"And Blues Jr. the second will bash your head in if you ever say something like that in front of her sister!" Cynthia threatened, leveling her lance at Gaius.

"Cynthia!" Sumia exclaimed in shock. "Put your lance away!"

Gaius raised his hands defensively. "Woah there! It was only a joke! A joke!"

Robin seemed to ignore all of their antics though. "And there's something about these people… I can only hope my hunch is incorrect. But for now, let's just take a rest. We'll wait for Chrom and the others to get here first before making our next move."

"Right." Multiple voices replied simultaneously as the shepherds resolved to do just that.

**Gerome: HP: 90% Str: 75% Mag: 20% Skl: 60% Spd: 55% Lck: 30% Def: 45% Res: 20%**

**Class: Wyvern Rider**

**Age: 16**


	36. A Duel Disgraced

**Author's Notes:**

**The weapon rank system in Awakening has always been interesting to me. This is compared to the weapon system in Fates where (most classes) can only get an 'A' rank in one weapon type, and (most classes) can only get a 'S' rank if they only use that one type of weapon. In Awakening, any class can get an 'A' rank in any weapon they're allowed to use, and there is no 'S' rank. I must say, that while the weapon rank system in Awakening is much more convenient in gaming, the Fates system is much more realistic. While this may sound completely pointless right now, I'm ranting about this because of one scene in this chapter.**

**Also, it seems kind of weird that none of the future children found each other over the time of around two years, which is why this chapter is a little bit unique in that sense. The children that 'don't belong' in this paralogue happen to have paralogues that I feel are rather pointless, or is awkward to incorporate into my storyline.**

**A lot of notes this time, but here is chapter 36**

**Wyvern Valley…**

Robin and the others were waiting for Chrom to bring the rest of the shepherds. In the meantime, they watched over the corpses of the poachers and conversed about several things.

"So the others are all here?" Gerome asked Noire. They, along with Cynthia, were off to the side, having their own conversation.

"Y-yes…" Noire responded. "Well… not _everyone _actually. There's just the two of us… and Lucy and Brady…"

"Hey!" Cynthia protested. "How come you're only talking to HER!?"

"So I guess I'm not the last one then." Gerome sighed as he ignored Cynthia. "And to think… I was under the impression that I was the only one that got separated from everyone else… I had begun to think that I missed everything that would lead to our time."

"Nope!" Cynthia seemed to forget for a second that Gerome was ignoring her. "So far, you've only missed the war against Valm, but all of us, aside from Lucy, missed it as well. We still have a lot of time to change things for the better."

"That's some good news then." Gerome chuckled.

"I KNEW it!" Cynthia accused immediately. "You were only PRETENDING to not hear me! How could you be so mean to me Gerome?"

"Yeah… why is it you're always so mean to her?" Noire asked.

"Because." Gerome replied. "She's loud and she's obnoxious."

The masked Wyvern Rider felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Cherche standing right behind him.

"Hey, Gerome, was it?" Cherche asked. "I took the liberty of inspecting your Wyvern…"

"And why did you do that?" Gerome asked coldly.

"Why, to see which of our wyverns are cuter, obviously!" Cherche replied. "And when I did, I found something truly peculiar. Besides looking older, your Wyvern has the same scars and scale patterns as my own darling Minerva!"

"What are the chances of that?" Gerome grumbled.

"You can drop the act now." Cherche told him. "I know you're one of Lucina's friends, so you must have come from the future with them. And that means that your wyvern IS Minerva. Which, more than likely, makes you my son!"

Gerome stared at her from behind his mask.

"I was so looking forward to meeting you!" Cherche exclaimed. "Won't you give your mother a hug?" she raised her arms, inviting the young man to return the gesture.

"Tch." Gerome scoffed. "I already bid farewell to my parents. I have no intention of doing so a second time. You may look and sound just like my mother, but you are not that woman. I also had no intention of meeting you ever again. I only came here to set Minerva free. Unfortunately, I happen to run into these poachers during my time here. Although I must thank you for your assistance, that is the extent of my affection towards you. Please leave me alone."

With that, Gerome turned away and left Cherche and her friends.

"My, my…" Cherche sighed as she shook her head. "That boy is a handful, I'm sure."

"Oh, just give him a chance, Miss Cherche!" Noire pleaded. "He's a nice guy, really! He just has a lot on his mind, and he must be really stressed out. All of us had gone through a lot in our own timeline."

"Yes, you have a point." Cherche smiled. "Maybe his father can knock some sense into him. But, knowing his father, probably not."

With that, Cherche left as well, leaving Noire and Cynthia by themselves.

Nearby, the other shepherds were having a conversation of their own. Overhead, many wyverns native to Wyvern Valley began to circle around them.

"U-um… what's happening?" Olivia asked.

"No idea." Henry shrugged, they don't seem hostile, but ya never know with these things."

Eventually, a few of them landed next to them.

"Woah!" Gaius pulled out an arrow as he chuckled nervously. "Easy there…"

"Don't worry." Tiki assured them. "The wyverns are simply paying their respects to us."

"Well, I guess we DID just save them." Gaius smirked. "But that means these beasts are pretty intelligent then."

"Not you, silly!" Nowi giggled as one of the wyverns licked her face affectionately. "I think they only care about the two of us!"

"That's a good possibility." Robin agreed. "They're gathering around Lady Tiki and Nowi, but paying little to no attention to the rest of us."

"They can smell our Manakete blood." Tiki explained as she patted the nose of one of the wyverns that was next to her. "To these wyverns, Manaketes are like royalty. And so, I'm guessing that they're just curious is all."

"Woah, what's going on here!?" Robin and Tiki turned to see Lissa looking at them in shock. "Those wyverns! They seem so… friendly."

"I know, right!?" Nowi smiled. "They're just like overgrown puppies with wings!"

"I see you made quick work of the poachers." Chrom walked up from behind Lissa. "Guess the rest of us weren't even needed."

"That's not true." Robin shook his head. "Firstly, it's always important to have a plan B as well as some insurance. And even now, there's something extremely important to do."

"And what is that?" Chrom asked.

"Loot their remains." Robin smirked.

"You don't think we have enough weapons?" Chrom chuckled. "After all, we just finished a war."

"If my suspicions are correct, then there's a good chance that these poachers will have top tier equipment." Robin explained. "And there's something else I'm looking for on their corpses…"

He leaned over and whispered something in the Exalt's ear.

"Really?" Chrom asked in surprise.

"Yes." Robin nodded. "At least, I think so."

"Well I'll tell everyone to keep an eye out then." Chrom nodded. "So is your plan to just loot the corpses then? There doesn't seem to be all too many bodies laying around."

"Well, that's only the ones who died and didn't fall into the ravine." Robin smirked as he pointed to the side of the cliff.

"You don't mean…" Lissa paled.

"It'd be a waste to leave anything behind." Robin shrugged.

"But… if they fell that far down… then they'll be squashed!" Lissa complained. "I bet it would look disgusting! Ugh… I don't even want to think about it!"

"Not everyone has to go down there." Robin chuckled. "We just need a few volunteers. I'm guessing Henry, for one, would be fine with it."

"Nya ha! If it means I get to inspect some dead people, then I'm all for it!" Henry agreed. "Sign me up!"

"Great!" Robin gave him a thumbs up. "Unfortunately, we'll need all the fliers to participate. Other than that, take whatever is valuable that you find!"

**Several Minutes Later…**

Anna and Robin were standing next to the pile of weapons and equipment in salvageable condition that they had found. Added together, it was a pretty hefty haul.

"Wow!" Anna exclaimed. "Look at all of this! Mostly Silver and Killer weapons, and some in practically brand new condition as well!"

"Not bad." Robin agreed. "Makes you wonder how much money they rake in in order to be able to afford them all."

"Robin!" The tactician turned to see Chrom walking up to him, waving some documents. "We found it!"

Robin headed over and took the papers from him. He took a minute to scan through the information.

"So it's just as I guessed…" he sighed. "These guys are also working under Excellus and the Black Market…"

"That's twice we've already run into them…" Chrom furrowed his brow.

"Twice that we KNOW about." Robin corrected. "Who knows what other shady business they've been doing in the shadows?"

"Now that Valm finally is freed from Walhart's conquest, they have to immediately deal with this new threat." Chrom gritted his teeth. "Most of the regions have only begun the process of recovery. They don't have the resources to go after these people yet."

"I was thinking the same thing." Robin nodded. "So ideally, it would be nice if we could destroy this organization before we head back for Ylisstol."

"But how do we destroy it?" Chrom asked. "We don't even know how we can completely destroy them, or even where we should look."

"That's true..." Robin conceded. "I'll have to try and figure something out… we could use the fact that Excellus is leading the whole organization to our advantage… In the meantime, we can send Flavia and the extra troops back first. We can stay at Virion's place for a few days, and try and gain as much information as possible."

"All right." Chrom agreed. "Let's get ready to head back then. We'll tell Flavia the news in the morning."

The two were interrupted when Sumia came over and grabbed onto one of Chrom's arms. She keeled over and covered her mouth with her other hand.

"What's wrong? Sumia?" Chrom asked in concern.

"N-nothing… well, at least, nothing NOW." Sumia eventually said. "It's just… it'll take a while to get the image of those dead poachers out of my head. Seeing dead bodies is one thing. Seeing dead bodies that fell that far to their deaths is completely different."

Chrom sighed. "I know love, rest assured that your hard work will not go to waste."

"Honestly, the only one that seems mildly fine after that experience is Henry." Sumia sighed. "It's unsettling, really. Can we get out of here now? Please?"

"We were just about to tell everyone to leave." Chrom nodded. "And I agree. Let's go back and get some rest. Anna is probably almost done organizing our spoils anyway."

They hadn't brought their entire convoy because they had rushed to get here, but the one or two carts they had was enough to carry everything since they were completely empty.

The shepherds slowly made their way back to Virion's mansion. Although it was difficult, they prepared to rest for the night. Most of the shepherds elected to immediately return to their tents and retire for the night.

Robin went to the well nearby and drew some water. He used it to wash his face. There was a lot on his mind, and it was unlikely that he would be able to just fall asleep. He sighed as he slowly made his way back towards the tent area.

On the way, Robin noticed that there was a lone figure sitting next to a fire. Upon getting closer, he was able to get a better look and recognized that it was Lucina with a seriously noticeable frown on her face.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked as he sat down next to him and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Couldn't sleep?"

He managed to seriously startle the future princess, and Lucina almost felt herself jump out of her seat.

"Oh," Lucina forced a smile. "It's you, Robin."

"Something is bothering you." Robin said as he leaned in closer to her face. "I recognize that expression. Care to tell me what it is?"

"Well…" Lucina began. "It's just… I felt so… so useless."

"What do you mean?" Robin frowned.

"I wasn't able to do anything about the situation at Wyvern Valley!" Lucina clarified. "My friends were able to accomplish far more! Cynthia has her pegasus, and Noire was able to use a bow, so they were far more useful than me! All I did was march there and pick through the remains after the battle already finished."

"Ah." Robin sighed. "So this is what this is about."

"And so I've decided… I'm going to learn how to fight with other weapons." Lucina said with conviction. "I think I'll start with a bow first… and after that, I'll learn how to fly a pegasus… and if I accomplish all that, I'll finish with learning magic. And maybe that way, I won't be so useless anymore."

"That's ridiculous!" Robin laughed.

"Why?" Lucina asked with a frown. "All I can do with wave a sword around. But if I learn some new skills, I'd actually be able to help you out in many more scenarios."

"Learning another weapon comes at a cost." Robin explained.

"What do you mean?" Lucina asked.

"Let's take a look at Virion, for example." Robin pointed out. "All he knows how to wield is the bow, which is a skill also shared by Gaius. But Gaius is also capable of close range fighting with a dagger. Does this mean that Virion is less useful than Gaius? Of course not. By dedicating himself to only the bow, Virion ensures that no one is able to match his skill in it. While Gaius must split his training time between the two weapons, Virion only needs to hone his skills with one. Sure, there are times were Gaius's additional skills make him more useful, but there are also others where Gaius's skills with a bow are not sufficient, which might make Virion the right person for the job."

"So what your saying is…" Lucina sounded like she began to understand.

"There aren't many among our sword users that can match you in swordplay." Robin continued. "And even if you compare yourself to someone like Chrom, your fighting styles are vastly different. He focuses more on strength while you lean towards speed a lot more. This also makes the two of you more useful than the other in specific scenarios. And that's just it: everyone in the shepherds has their own role to play. Everyone is useful in one way or another. It just so happens, tonight was not the night for a land based swordfighter, such as you, to shine. But don't fret too much about it. There will be other opportunities. We couldn't have gotten through the war without everyone's contribution after all."

"I… that makes sense." Lucina conceded as she leaned her head into Robin's shoulder. "S-sorry. I guess I was being a little bit childish there."

"Don't worry about it." Robin assured her. "I completely understand. Just remember that in a scrappy fight in close range, you are one of the most valuable people to the shepherds."

"Thanks." Lucina closed her eyes. "It means a lot to me to hear you say that. I don't think that you could even understand just how important it is to me."

"Your mother recently began to learn magic, now that I think about it." Robin chuckled. "And, I'm not going to lie, it has made her extremely useful since it caused her to fill the niche of a flying magic caster. However, you can clearly see that her lancefaire has taken a serious toll. She used to be similarly matched with Cordelia, but now I'd be shocked to see Sumia hold her own."

"I get it." Lucina laughed. "Learning new skills comes at a price. I understand now."

"Still…" Robin looked off into the distance in thought. "Going from lancefaire to tomes is an extremely awkward jump. If you were to learn another weapon with an extremely similar fighting style as a sword, perhaps it could make yourself feel more useful without the need to reduce your sword fighting capabilities too much."

"And what would you suggest then?" Lucina asked.

"I think you would be able to pick up a lance rather easily." Robin told her. "The fighting style is still close ranged combat, and while a lance is slightly more clumsy than a sword, I think it suits you fairly well."

"That's a good idea." Lucina murmured. "I think I might try that in the future."

"Now that that's out of the way, do you think you'll be able to go back to your tent and get some sleep?" Robin asked.

"Mm ... maybe." Lucina giggled. "Walk me there?"

Robin got up and offered her his hand. "Anything for you, love." He chuckled at her flustered expression. But, Lucina soon got over it and took his hand. They walked over to Lucina's tent together.

Time flew by too fast for Lucina, and soon, they were at the entrance to her tent.

"Well, I'll be off then." Robin raised a hand to wave her goodbye. "I should get some shut eye as well."

"W-wait!" Lucina grabbed Robin's hand and pulled him towards her tent. "Please! Stay with me? For the night?"

"Lucina…" Robin sighed.

"Please?" Lucina begged. "The bed roll is large enough for both of us…"

"You know…" Robin scratched his neck. "Usually, sharing a bed is reserved for married couples, right?"

"Of course I know that!" Lucina pouted. "But… it's not like we're going to be doing anything… inappropriate... I just want to be able to fall asleep next to you! I think it would help me sleep a lot better. Maybe my nightmares won't bother me as much."

"And what if Chrom finds out?" Robin asked.

"Then I'll just tell him it was my idea!" Lucina replied. "He can't possibly get that mad at me, can he? Please?"

Robin stared at her for a moment. He let out a sigh. "Well, it's clear you won't take no for an answer… I guess if it really could make you sleep better, it could be worth it then."

Lucina's face lit up. "Great!" She immediately pulled Robin into the tent.

While Lucina quickly changed into her sleep clothes, Robin faced another direction in order to give her some privacy. When she was done, Lucina laid down on the bed roll and anxiously awaited Robin to come join her. Robin took off his cloak and found a place to set it inside the tent. Once he came over, Robin laid down next to her, facing the other direction.

They stayed with their backs to each other.

'This is a little less intimate than what I had hoped.' Lucina thought to herself as she bit her lip. "But I guess we have to start somewhere. Ylisstol wasn't built in a day after all.'

She closed her eyes and began to fall asleep.

**The Next Morning…**

Lucina awoke to find that she was the only one in her tent.

"Was… last night a dream?" She wondered aloud.

She took a good look at her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that she was sleeping on the very edge of her bed roll, when she usually sleeps in the middle. The second thing she noticed was that when she reached her hand over to the other side of the bed, she could still feel trace amounts of heat. This indicates that someone had just been lying there a few moments ago.

Her own side of the bed felt warm as well, and from experience, she doesn't really move around at all when she sleeps. All the evidence points to the fact that there must have been someone else sleeping next to her a short time ago.

"Robin must have woken up early again." Lucina concluded. "At least this confirms that last night wasn't just part of my dreams. Maybe next time I'll take a larger risk..."

She sighed and got up to get dressed.

The rest of the day (and the few days afterwards) didn't see much action. After Chrom and Robin had a meeting with Flavia, they decided that the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers would head back home first. Flavia had even joked that she'll leave the shepherds a ship or two, if she remembered, at the harbor.

This meant that the shepherds had a few days of rest. Cherche and Virion were obviously extremely busy cleaning up their home. It wasn't too strenuous though, because they had plenty of help in the form of their new staff and some of the more altruistic shepherds.

Many shepherds, Lucina included, spent a good portion of their day training. She decided to take Robin's advice and try out the lance. Although it was a little more clumsy than her sword, she did find that the extra range of the weapon could be worth the trouble in many cases. She had asked Cordelia for some advice, and the Falcon Knight had gladly obliged. Being a mansion, Virion's home proved quite useful in her endeavors as it contained both indoor and outdoor training facilities.

Robin had also sent some of the shepherds out for reconnaissance. He would form parties of four, two fliers and two shepherds capable of moving around discreetly. The fliers would deliver them to a nearby town or city. The pair of fliers would watch overhead while the other two tried to dig up any information on the Valmese Black Market. Because of his old profession, Gaius was the perfect one for this task. And coupled with the fact that his fiance was a Falcon Knight meant he was selected the most for these types of operations. Not that he minded though. Gaius actually felt thrilled to make use of his old skills. This time, for a just cause.

Although the first four days didn't see any action, things changed on the fifth day.

"We found some juicy information." Gaius grinned as he reported back to Robin.

"What did you find?" Robin looked up from his desk.

"W-we overheard someone talk about a man named Cassius." Olivia, who had been Gaius's partner in the operation, replied. "H-he is someone closely tied to the Black Market, if we can believe the people we heard."

"Word is, while he doesn't directly provide the market with the goods, he and his men are a security force of sorts." Gaius explained. "He helps make sure deals go through smoothly, and that the other parties don't try and take advantage of the operatives the Market sends out."

"So let me see if I got this right." Robin tapped a pen on his chin. "The Black Market hires people like Ezra to do the dirty work. Growing drugs... Capturing people… that type of thing. And this Cassius guy… his job is to make sure the people working directly for the Market are able to trade money for goods with people like Ezra, right?"

"Essentially." Gaius shrugged as he popped a sucker into his mouth. "And that's not all. Apparently, he recently killed one of the noblemen in the city. Some of that nobleman's servants were enraged and will try to kill Cassius in his base of operations: An abandoned mansion a good distance away from the city. Rumor has it that they plan on acting tonight." Gaius pointed to a location on the map sprawled out on the desk in front of Robin.

"Really!?" Robin seemed surprised by all that Gaius divulged. "And how did you get your hands on all of this?"

"Tricks of the trade." Gaius replied smugly.

"Th-the commoners have a strong dislike for Cassius." Olivia explained. "They would love to see someone remove him permanently. However, he commands a large mercenary force, and is not afraid to slaughter innocents if they try and oppose him. Honestly, they were happy to tell us as soon as they began to believe we weren't working for Cassius. Believe it or not, the reason was because I was with Gaius. Apparently, Cassius doesn't have any women in his mercenary force."

"Sounds about right." Robin sighed. "Any idea how many of this nobleman's servants plan on acting?"

"According to one estimate, about a couple dozen." Gaius replied. "Thing is, Cassius is rumored to have twice, maybe even three times as many men. And killing is also their profession. My guess is, alone, these servants don't stand a chance."

"That's what I think as well." Robin furrowed his brow. "Maybe we could lend a hand. Perhaps this Cassius guy would know more about the details concerning the Black Market. We'll have to make sure we take him alive."

He turned to Gaius and Olivia. "Good work, both of you. Please inform Chrom that we are to move out shortly after dinner. Afterwards, go and take a good rest."

"You got it!" Gaius gave Robin a thumbs up. Olivia simply smiled and gave a small nod. The pair promptly left the tent.

"I must admit… whoever these servants are… their leader must have a lot of guts." Robin muttered to himself.

**A Short Distance Away…**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" A girl with brownish orange hair and long ears asked. "We haven't even found our parents yet. Isn't this a bit risky?"

"It's fine, Nah." A female armored knight with dark green hair replied. "We've slayed countless Risen in our timeline, have we not? What's a few mercenaries compared to that?"

"While your point certainly has some merit, we must also consider the alternative argument." A blonde mage with a large hat interjected. He pushed his glasses up slightly. "After all, Risen are not sentient beings."

"I agree with Laurent." The girl known as Nah nodded. "We haven't found any of our other friends yet. If we die before we find them, it would only cause them unnecessary worry or grief. There's enough on the line as it is. Face it Kjelle, the smart thing to do would be to walk away."

"Oh come on!" Kjelle protested. "When we stumbled into town with no money, our Duke Earlshief was the one who took us in. He gave us a place to sleep, and three warm meals a day. And now that he's been murdered, the two of you think it's fine for us to just run away without avenging him? Shame on you! And we already rallied everyone else too. We can't leave them now!"

"You do have a point." Nah sighed. "But as far as I can tell, none of the other servants are half as capable in combat as any of us…"

"Aptly put." Laurent nodded. "I fear that by charging forward, we only lead our allies to a massacre. This battle is one with odds so heavily stacked against us that I doubt even Uncle Robin could turn the tables in our favor. Not with these numbers. And I mean no disrespect, Kjelle, but none of us could even hold a candle to him."

"Yeah, but Uncle Robin wouldn't let this awful man continue to live if he were here!" Kjelle retorted. "He would do the honorable thing."

"No, he would do the smart thing." Laurent corrected. "He wouldn't try and win any battle that can't be won. But at the same time, he wouldn't abandon anyone in need either. Somehow, he'd find a way..."

"Now that Kjelle has convinced everyone already, I agree that it would be bad mannered of us to abandon everyone." Nah sighed. "But promise me this. If things look dire, the three of us need to get out of there. There's far too much at stake for us to die here of all places."

"Aptly put." Laurent agreed.

"Fine…." Kjelle grumbled.

**Later That Evening…**

As Robin and the shepherds closed in on Cassius's mansion, they could hear the sound of metal on metal ringing through the air.

"Looks like the fighting has already started." Chrom noted.

"Yeah, and it's not going in our favor either." Robin nodded. "Looks like my guess was correct. These servants are not trained in combat at all. It's a massacre."

"So I guess it's up to us to step in then." Chrom got up from his hiding position and signaled the charge.

The shepherds closed in on the battle.

Stahl and Sully were, once again, the first ones to reach the thick of combat. Stahl cleaved an Archer in half with a swing of his silver sword while Sully impaled a Mercenary with her silver lance as she charged.

Frederick and Panne arrived shortly after. Panne charged an Armored Knight and knocked him down with a powerful kick from her hind legs. Frederick then followed up by slamming his axe down on the fallen knight, killing him through his armor.

Lon'qu, Gaius and Olivia darted into the fray as well. They expertly dodged and weaved out of the way of everyone while simultaneously slashing and cutting any enemy they waltzed around. Gaius and Olivia had decided that it was not a smart idea to use a bow in this situation, as the sun had almost set and they didn't have the skill with a bow to guarantee friendly fire would not occur.

Once the fighters outside of the mansion had been disposed of, Robin motioned for everyone to move inside. Lissa, Libra and Maribelle stayed behind in order to heal the injured. As per Robin's instructions, Cherche, Cordelia and Sumia also stayed in order to protect them. It would have been extremely difficult for the three of them to fight at their full potential indoors anyways. Unfortunately, there weren't many people left alive that could be healed. Most of the servants had been killed in their initial attack.

As soon as Robin and company entered the mansion, they heard some voices talking at the end of a long hallway. The sounds echoed through the building, and seemed to be magnified.

"Coward!" A distinctly female voice called. "You promised me a duel, you soulless blackheart!"

"Indeed I did." Another voice, this time a male, laughed. "And consider all of these men my seconds. Still… I'm not a monster… I'll spare your life, and even the lives of your friends as long as you kneel in front of me and beg."

"I'd sooner die!" The first voice exclaimed again.

"I told you this was a bad idea…" A second female voice said in exasperation.

"Indeed." A second male voice said in agreement. "It seems our only option is to fight our way out of this mess."

"Is it just me, or do those voices sound familiar?" Cynthia asked.

"Aye, I concur!" Brady nodded. "Pretty darn sure one of 'em's Kjelle. By the sounds of it, maybe it's Nah 'n Laurent as well."

"Then it looks like they could be in trouble!" Lucina cried out in alarm. "Robin, we have to do something! Some more of my friends could be over there!"

"They're on the other side of those double doors at the end of the hallway." Robin noted as he checked his Hekseer. "We'll have to hurry. Frederick, Stahl and Sully should be able to get there the fastest. Take Gaius, Chrom… and…" He looked at the rest of the shepherds. "And Lucina. You won't have a healer, so all of you will need to be extra careful. Help out the future children, and the rest of us will make our way towards you. We'll be a little slower, because we're going to have to fight our way there."

The three cavaliers and their passengers immediately headed off towards the end of the hallway. Any opponent that attempted to block their path were instantly swatted away by Frederick and Sully.

"Now then…" Robin pulled out a tome and turned to look at all the enemy mercenaries that had begun to gather. "The rest of us will take care of the grunts. Shouldn't be too difficult. Just take down anyone in front of you."

**With Lucina…**

Lucina was thrilled that Robin had given her the opportunity to be on the very frontline. Not only does it give her the chance to save her friends, but she also can prove to him her usefulness. After feeling absolutely useless in the endeavor at Wyvern Valley, she was due a confidence boost.

As soon as they got to the door, Gaius hopped off of Sully's horse and immediately went to go pick the lock. Lucina did the same and dismounted from Stahl's horse.

"Lucina!" Stahl unstrapped the iron lance on his horse and tossed it to the future princess. She caught it and engaged an enemy Mercenary that was charging her. Although she had been practicing for the past few days, she had yet to accumulate experience fighting against live opponents. Sparring was not the same thing as fighting to kill, after all. However, she was delighted to find that with the extra range of the lance coupled with her natural speediness, defeating the Mercenary was truly child's play.

Having disposed of her opponent, she snuck a look at the others. Frederick and Sully were blocking the main corridor, stopping anyone who tried and bother Gaius while he worked. They had an easy time defeating the Mercenaries and Armored Knights that lumbered towards them, but couldn't do anything about the Archer harassing them from a distance without breaking formation. Although annoying, the Archer also didn't do any meaningful damage, so Sully and Frederick chose to just endure the arrows. However, it was clear that they disliked it. And this was not without reason. Most of the arrows bounced harmlessly off their shield and armor, but all it took was one lucky hit in the chink of their armor or the vulnerable parts of their horses and they could be removed from the battle.

Seeing this situation, Lucina took aim and tossed her lance at the archer. Although a little more clumsy than a javelin, it still was able to get the job done. The lance hit the Archer in the chest, knocking him down and eventually killing him. Feeling satisfied, she drew her Parallel Falchion and resumed defending the side corridor with Stahl.

Chrom, who was busy fighting an enemy General, held his ground. It was all he needed to do at the moment. He was defending the corridor by himself after all.

"How is it going?" Chrom asked while defending against a strike from his opponent's tomahawk.

"Pretty good." Gaius replied. It was a little muffled as he was holding a pick in his mouth as he worked with two others. "Complicated lock. But I'll get this baby to open up in a minute or two."

"We're…" Chrom grunted as he pushed his opponent away. "Counting on it!"

"Stahl, can you hold this side by yourself for a moment?" Lucina asked after seeing her father struggle.

"Yea. Don't worry about me." Stahl nodded.

Hearing his words, Lucina instantly rushed over to her father's side. She stabbed her Falchion through one of the weak points in her opponents armor. It was times like these where she was glad she listens closely to Robin's advice. A week or two ago, he had shown all the shepherds the weak points in a Valmese General's suit of armor. It certainly made killing them a lot easier.

"Thanks." Chrom wiped his brow after he pushed aside the dead General's corpse.

"Aaand…. All done!" Gaius exclaimed as he twisted the handle of the door. The large double doors opened, revealing three young adults being surrounded by Archers.

Lucina instantly charged the Archers. Within seconds, she had slashed down two of them that were closer to her. She finally took notice of her friends. Kjelle was standing over the other two, blocking most of the arrows with her body and shield. Laurent was throwing out spells whenever he could, but he always has been, and still is, much slower at casting than his mother. Slowly but surely, they were being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. And the reason for that was because their third friend, Nah, was currently on the ground, downing a vulnary. She had an arrow wound on her arm.

"Lucina!?" Kjelle exclaimed in alarm. "Is it really you!?"

"Not now!" Lucina called back. "Let's talk when we're all safe!"

"Right!" Kjelle nodded.

With the addition of Lucina, and moments later, Gaius, the tides quickly turned. Previously, Kjelle and Laurent were sitting ducks, being bombarded by an endless number of arrows. However, now it was Laurent pressuring the Archers as they scrambled to get away from an angry Great Lord and a skilled Assassin. Their numbers quickly dwindled.

Around this time, Robin and the other shepherds had fought their way through the other grunts and made it to the double doors as well. Cassius, who had the absolute advantage just a moment ago, now found himself at an insane disadvantage. He had, quite literally, been backed into a corner.

"Th-there's been a misunderstanding!" The Sorcerer exclaimed. "I'm sure we can work everything out if we just talked. Are you after money? I can give you money."

"There's NOT a misunderstanding!" Kjelle spat. "This man is a murderer, and all we want is your head!"

"Easy there." Robin walked up. "We're not unreasonable people. We just need some information from you…"

"But-" Kjelle protested, but a stern look from Robin silenced her.

"Information?" Cassius nervously chuckled. "Why yes, I'm sure I can answer a few questions."

'Once my reinforcements arrive, you all will be done for.' Cassius thought to himself. 'Of course these weaklings weren't enough to stop them, but as soon as my proper guards get here, the tables will turn!'

Robin slowly made his way over to him. Cassius, still pretending to be cooperative, just let him approach. There was no way for him to predict what happened next, however. Instead of asking questions, Robin just walked up to him and grabbed his head with one hand. Cassius began to feel nauseous as the tactician scanned his memories.

"All right, I'm done here." Robin rubbed his hands together. He made eye contact with Kjelle. "All yours now."

'Did he just… read my mind?' Cassius thought to himself. 'How is that possible!? And if he did? How much did he find out?'

"Thanks." Kjelle smiled. "I'll enjoy this one."

"Not so fast." Cassius snarled. "It's clear you want me dead now. But if you think I'm just going to let you kill me, you're in for a surprise."

At this, he held his hands in front of him and a large ball of dark energy began to form.

"Die! Die!" Cassius cackled as the pressure began to build and the energy slowly grew beyond his realm of control. Most of the shepherds began to scramble away from Cassius.

Robin, however, tackled Cassius. This interrupted the Sorcerer's channeling, causing a large explosion. When the dust settled, the figures of both Robin and Cassius lay motionless on the floor.

"R-robin?" Lucina whimpered. "Please get up."

After a brief moment, Robin let out a cough. Chrom immediately went over and helped him get back on his feet.

"Is everyone all right?" Robin asked as soon as he got up.

"Yeah. Everyone ELSE is. The real question is whether you're fine." Chrom responded as he gave Robin his shoulders. Robin graciously draped one arm across them.

"It was a lot of magic, but thankfully, my robes protected me from most of it." Robin nodded. But then he covered his mouth with his other hand as he coughed. Upon removing his hand, he saw that there was some blood on it. "Although… it seems I still got injured a little bit."

Gaius squatted next to Cassius's corpse and poked him with his dagger. "Hey Bubbles. This guy's dead."

"Yeah." Robin coughed again. "Sorry about that. It seems I greatly underestimated him. I only have myself to blame for this one. But never mind that for now. We all need to get out of here. NOW."

"What's wrong?" Chrom asked.

"Reinforcements. They're on their way." Robin responded. "I thought Cassius was acting weird, and it seems all he wanted to do was stall for time. At least, initially. The mercenaries we fought… they were all new recruits. We might find ourselves surrounded by formidable enemies if we don't get out of here soon."

"Come to think of it, they did seem pretty inexperienced." Stahl agreed as he cupped his chin in thought. "Explains how you all were able to fight your way through them so fast."

"Later…" Robin chuckled. "Get out of here… first…"

With that, Robin slumped over and passed out.

**Several Moments Later…**

The shepherds had safely retreated to their camp on Virion's property. Once everyone was safe once more, Kjelle, Laurent and Nah had a joyous reunion with their parents. The other future children, aside from Gerome, all understood exactly what their friends were feeling, and watched on happily.

The largest surprise to the shepherds was that Nah was a Manakete, or rather, half Manakete. They did not see her transform during the battle, because she had been shot by arrows when she tried to. Gregor seemed genuinely happy to have a daughter, whereas Nowi just seemed to enjoy the fact that she has a 'new friend' to play with.

Lucina, although happy that they had found three more of her friends and that they had been reunited with their parents, she was also more worried about Robin. He had never woken up since they got back, and Lissa said she wasn't able to do much for him since the wounds were caused by dark magic. Chrom had decided to just let him rest in his tent. Lucina had been by his side the whole time, holding his hand while he slept. She only left the tent when her mother called her for dinner, and she came back immediately after she had finished.

Eventually, night came. Lucina, despite beginning to feel weary, still refused to return to her tent. Finally, Chrom had to come over and try to convince her.

"Lucina." Chrom said as soon as he entered the tent. "You need to go get some rest."

"I'm fine father." Lucina protested.

"If you don't get some sleep, it'll affect you tomorrow." Chrom countered. "Who knows what we might get into? And with Robin unconscious, we need every fighter ready for anything."

"I'll just sleep here then." Lucina glared at her father.

"Lucina…." Chrom gave her a warning look.

"I'm dead serious." Lucina responded, not giving an inch.

"How long have you two been together?" Chrom asked. "It's still too early for the two of you to share a bed yet. You two aren't even engaged!"

"You and mother weren't together for long either!" Lucina protested. "And I'm not a child anymore! I'm a grown woman! I'm just as old as mother when the two of you got married! I think I'm allowed to make these types of decisions for myself now."

"And what if Robin doesn't want you here?" Chrom furrowed his brows. "What then?"

Lucina hesitated for a moment. "If Robin doesn't want me here, then I'll leave as soon as he tells me to." she eventually responded. "Other than that, I'm not leaving."

The two stared at each other for a minute.

"Please?" Lucina finally begged.

"All right." Chrom conceded. "You seem to have taken care of yourself just fine up to this point. I suppose I can let you make these decisions yourself then."

"Thanks father!" Lucina beamed as she ran over to him and gave him a hug.

"Yeah, yeah." Chrom muttered. "Just don't do anything stupid. I'm not ready to be a grandfather just yet."

"I understand." Lucina giggled. "Thanks again."

"All right, I'll leave you two then." Chrom sighed as he left the tent. He made his way back to his own tent. Had he married anyone else, he was sure to get yelled at. But with Sumia, she might find her daughter's actions oddly charming.

In the meantime, Lucina got her sleep clothes from her tent and changed into them. She got into Robin's bedroll and wrapped her arms around one of his. She had a small smile on her face as she fell asleep.

**A Short Distance Away…**

An injured Mercenary hobbled into a dimly lit room. He was ushered in by a guard.

"Your Excellency!" The guard reported. "The survivor would like to see you."

"Yes, thank you." A voice from deep inside the room replied. A short, round, figure appeared in the light.

"L-lord Excellus!" The Mercenary exclaimed and instantly bowed before him.

"What is it?" Excellus snapped.

"I have something urgent to report!" The Mercenary replied. "We were raided by the shepherds. Cassius died in the attack."

"The shepherds!?" Excellus snarled. "Are you sure?"

"Dead certain!" The Mercenary replied.

"And the woman… Say'ri… was she there?" Excellus asked.

"Yes sir, I believe so!" The Mercenary nodded. "And I also managed to track them to their campsite. I can point out where it is on a map."

"Excellent!" Excellus cackled. He turned to the guard. "Summon the commanders. I've got some getting even to do…"

**Kjelle: HP: 90% Str: 65% Mag: 10% Skl: 60% Spd: 50% Lck: 55% Def: 50% Res: 30%**

**Age: 16**

**Class: Armored Knight**

**Laurent: HP: 80% Str: 50% Mag: 65% Skl: 65% Spd: 55% Lck: 50% Def: 40% Res: 40%**

**Age: 16**

**Class: Mage**

**Nah: HP: 105% Str: 65% Mag: 35% Skl: 60% Spd: 50% Lck: 55% Def: 55% Res: 40%**

**Age: 15**

**Class: Manakete**


	37. Rival Bands

**Author's Notes:**

**Not that much to say this time. The chapter does start off a little dark. Other than that, enjoy Chapter 37:**

**Shepherd's Camp…**

Lon'qu was busy sitting next to the fire, cleaning his sword by the light of the flames. The rest of the shepherds had gone to bed already. It was his shift on guard duty, one of the more boring jobs. However, it was still important in the event that something did happen. He was about half way into his shift so far, and as of right now, nothing interesting had happened.

There was a rustling from the shadows, prompting Lon'qu to ready his killing edge.

"Prithee, lower your sword." A familiar voice replied. Lon'qu sighed in relief and went back to his cleaning. Moments later, Say'ri came and sat across from him.

"Couldn't sleep?" Lon'qu asked.

"Aye." Say'ri sighed. ""Tis a side effect of anyone who fights in wars it seems."

"Ha." Lon'qu snorted. "You may be right." He absentmindedly threw a few twigs onto the dying fire.

"You don't keep the fire very big, do you?" Say'ri asked.

"If the flame is too bright, I can see the area close to the fire clearly. But if there's an emergency anywhere else in camp, a bright flame decreases how well I can see in the dark." Lon'qu responded. "And I prefer to use my ears anyways." Say'ri nodded in understanding.

"There's something I've always wanted to ask you." Say'ri said after a brief moment of silence. "Are you originally from Chon'sin? Your fighting style… it's not quite like the speed based swordplay of Chon'sin, but it also is not quite like the strength based swordplay of Regna Ferox. Even your name. It's clearly not Feroxi."

"It's possible." Lon'qu admitted. "Although, I don't remember much about Chon'sin. I've spent almost my entire life in the streets of Ferox. All I know how to be is Feroxi… and now… Ylissean."

"Oh yeah." Say'ri let out a sigh. "Engaged to the princess, huh? Who would have thought, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." Lon'qu let out a rare smile. "I suppose I have been very fortunate."

"If only I could've had some of your luck…" Say'ri half joked. "Maybe I would've-"

"Stop." Lon'qu raised a hand.

"Sorry. I didn't mean-" Say'ri quickly apologized.

"No." Lon'qu got up. "I heard something."

"It's probably noth…" Say'ri gasped as Lon'qu turned around and lunged out at a man wielding a club. His sword flashed through the air, cutting the man down in one strike. Say'ri was just about to get up and draw her weapon, but she felt someone grab her from behind. A damp rag was forced onto her face.

"Mmmmgph!" She protested as she tried to warn Lon'qu. However, this was a mistake. As Lon'qu turned around to look at her, another man lunged out of the shadows and hit him over the head with a club. The Feroxi Swordmaster instantly collapsed.

Say'ri's eyes could only widen in panic and fear as she saw Lon'qu crumple onto the ground. Despite struggling to call for help, it seemed that no one could hear her. She slowly felt her eyes get heavy, and eventually fell unconscious herself.

"Damn, that tonic Lord Excellus gave us sure worked." The man holding down Say'ri noted.

"H-help me…" The man Lon'qu had slashed begged.

"No can do." The other club user sighed. "Lord Excellus specifically said that we won't have any healers on this mission because it would slow us down. And you still recklessly got injured. But don't worry. Rest assured we won't let your injury get in his excellency's plan."

With that, the man beat his coworker to death with his club.

"Quick." The first man said as he threw Say'ri's limp body over his shoulder. "Hide the body. We have to get out of here."

"Have we got the right guy?" His remaining companion asked. "I know for certain the girl is the right one, but this guy doesn't look like the tactician."

"Well I ain't stayin' around to try and find the right guy." The first person said. 'Sure, we might get less of a reward, but Lord Excellus specified that this woman would be the only necessary one for us to capture. But still… it's better to take him along, just in case."

"Good idea." The second man nodded as he grunted and lifted Lon'qu's body. "Let's get to the carts. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

As the men began to leave, the one carrying Say'ri didn't notice the bucket of water next to the fire, and accidentally kicked it over. The contents of the bucket fell into the fire pit, putting out the small fire.

"Damn!" The one who kicked over the bucket whispered.

"That wasn't too much noise." His companion assured him. "Let's just get out of here."

With that, the two men carried their victims away into the shadows.

**Robin's Tent…**

Robin slowly began to stir. He reflexively tried and raise his left hand to his forehead, but found that he couldn't.

Panic jolted him awake. However, he quickly relaxed when he realized that the reason he couldn't raise his arm was because it was currently being held onto by a sleeping Lucina.

"How did this happen?" Robin sighed as he looked over at her. She seemed extremely peaceful in her sleep. Robin reached over and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face.

Feeling Robin's movement, Lucina's eyes slowly opened. After blinking a few times, she sat up.

"Robin! You're awake!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah…" Robin chuckled. "How long was I out?"

"I mean, I guess not too long." Lucina thought about it. "It's only been several hours. However, it IS the middle of the night now."

"That's not too bad then." Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess I'll talk to Chrom about it in the morning. There are some important things I have to tell him about. I think I found where Excellus might be."

"That's good." Lucina closed her eyes and scooted closer to Robin's side. "But remember to take things easy when you're injured. Don't overwork yourself."

"Thanks for caring about me." Robin reached over and caressed her cheek with his right hand. "Although… that does remind me. Is there a reason why you're still here? What if Chrom finds out?"

Lucina scrunched up her face. 'He already knows."

Robin blinked twice, as he didn't think he heard correctly. "So how am I still alive?" Robin half joked.

"He doesn't mind. I convinced him." Lucina told him matter of factly. "And besides… you wouldn't kick me out in the middle of the night, right?"

"I guess there's some more explaining to do, then." Robin groaned as he covered his forehead with his other hand.

"Do you… do you not like me here?" Lucina hesitantly asked.

"No, it's not that…" Robin began. "It's just…"

"Well, then there's no problem then!" Lucina declared. "I talked to my father earlier. He says we're free to do whatever as long as we don't give him a grandchild yet."

"L-lucina!" Robin protested. "We're not even engaged yet!"

"Well maybe you should do something about that." Lucina quietly mumbled to herself, but Robin didn't hear her.

"Maybe we can sort things out in the morning." Robin sighed. "For now, I guess let's just get some rest."

"OK." Lucina smiled as she cozied up to Robin's arm once again. She was fine with that arrangement. For now.

The pair quietly rested for around fifteen minutes. Lucina had fallen asleep once again, but Robin was still awake. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was a little off.

"Something's not right." He muttered.

Robin slowly sat up, but the action disturbed Lucina.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she also sat up, rubbing her eyes as she did so.

"It's too quiet…" Robin whispered.

"What do you mean?" Lucina asked. "It's the middle of the night."

"Yes, but there's someone on night watch." Robin reminded her. "Even if no one else is there for them to talk to, they'll at least have a fire, right? And right now, I can't hear the crackling of fire at all."

"M-maybe they just forgot to start one?" Lucina asked. "Or it went out and they couldn't start another one in the dark?"

"Maybe." Robin reached for his cloak. He pulled out his Hekseer and checked it. "But that doesn't explain why I can't see anyone out there. All the shepherds are in their tents, and in the case of Cherche and Virion, they're in the mansion." Then he counted the dots. "Furthermore, we're missing two people. There IS something wrong."

Robin immediately began to get dressed, and after getting over her initial shock, Lucina did so as well. The pair exited the tent, and immediately, they saw the fading embers from Lon'qu's fire pit. They quickly made their way over.

"By the looks of this one, it seems it was recently put out." Robin noted as he placed his hands close to the embers. "Let's get some light."

Robin cast fire, and lit the fire pit back up. As the light flooded their surroundings, Lucina gasped. There were signs of a struggle that had taken place. Lucina knelt down and found that there was some blood on the ground. Meanwhile, Robin noticed that one of the logs the shepherds had used as a bench had been rolled slightly. There was a small strand of fabric stuck on one of the fallen branches on the ground. Someone's clothing had most likely gotten caught on it in the struggle.

"I could be wrong, but this looks like it could have been Say'ri's." Robin muttered. He checked his Hekseer and found that his suspicion had been proven true. Say'ri was nowhere near the shepherd's camp.

"Robin!" The tactician turned to see Lucina gesturing for him to come over. Robin made his way over to find the body of the assailant Lon'qu had killed.

"By the slash pattern, I guess Lon'qu was on guard duty tonight. Since both Lon'qu and Say'ri aren't dead, just out of range, they must have taken them somewhere. They probably left this guy here in order to get away quickly." Robin surmised. "We need to act now. Go wake your mother, your sister, Gerome, and Olivia. I'll find Gaius, Cordelia and Cherche. The nine of us will be the most optimal combination to rescue them."

"R-right!" Lucina immediately went off to fulfil Robin's orders.

**Undisclosed Location…**

Say'ri's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She was in a strange place that she did not recognize. When she tried to move, she realized that her wrists had been tied together and were forcibly raised above her head by a rope tied to the ceiling.

"Oh good. Our sleeping beauty is awake." An oddly familiar voice cackled. Say'ri blinked a few times to clear her vision. The sight in front of her instantly brought her out of the drowsiness.

"Lon'qu!" Say'ri exclaimed. The Swordmaster in question had his limbs tied to a star shaped contraption. He was barely conscious, and his face and limbs were covered in gashes. Her eyes bulged at the short, fat man standing to Lon'qu's side. "Excellus!?"

"Yes, indeed. It is I!" Excellus giggled. "And oh, what a joyous reunion it is! We didn't want to… bother you... when you were having your beauty rest, so we decided to start with your friend over here. He wasn't the tactician I was hoping for, but knowing that he must be one of your friends does bring me pleasure as well."

Excellus turned to one of his underlings, who, Say'ri immediately noticed, was carrying a large leather whip. "Our wonderful… guest… over here has not yet had the pleasure of witnessing your magnificent skill yet. Why don't you demonstrate for her? On the sword user, of course. We wouldn't want to damage her pristine skin. It would damage her value greatly."

The man nodded in acknowledgement and began to give Lon'qu a vicious whipping once again. The Swordmaster grunted with each strike, but did not otherwise say anything.

"Stop it!" Say'ri pleaded. "Prithee! He will die!"

"Oh, wouldn't that be tragic?" Excellus mocked. "Fear not, my _dear _Say'ri. We'll make sure not to kill him. I'll get someone to tend to his wounds later. Then we'll be able to mess him up again! Ooh! I almost forgot! Bring me the branding irons!"

One of his men handed him one that had been resting on a bed of hot coals. Excellus gleefully accepted it and pressed it onto Lon'qu's pectoral muscle. Even though he was barely conscious, Lon'qu still let out a loud roar of pain.

At this, Excellus began to laugh heartily. Say'ri glared daggers at him, but couldn't do anything otherwise.

"You pig!" She snarled. "The best you deserve is to rot in hell!"

"Watch your mouth!" Excellus frowned. "That's not how you talk to your superiors!"

One of Excellus's attendants brought him a drink. After taking a long sip, the former Valmese tactician seemed to have slightly calmed down.

"Enough. Let's not argue on a wonderful night of celebration." Excellus smiled. "All right, that's enough with the appetizer. Now it's onto the main course. You and your dear brother have cost me much, and since your brother is no longer alive, it is only fitting that you pay both of your debts. Unfortunately, I do not possess the necessary… equipment… to enjoy this for myself, so I will have to settle for just watching you suffer. But I'm sure these boys will have a lot of fun. You be sure to enjoy yourself as well. Ta ta!"

With that, Excellus turned and walked away. Some of his attendants pulled the contraption, along with Lon'qu away as well. Say'ri began to notice the large number of Excellus's men surrounding her. Her eyes widened in panic and realization as many of them began to hungrily close in on her.

"Oh, I can't wait!" One man chuckled as he walked up to Say'ri.

"You apes!" Say'ri exclaimed as she kicked the man between the legs. "Get away from me!"

Although her hands were bound, nothing had been done about her legs. This was a detail that was clearly overlooked by her first assailant.

However, this was not a mistake that would be made a second time. When Say'ri tried to kick the next person to walk up to her, the man had instead caught her leg instead. He held her by the ankle, forcing her leg to remain in the air. Because she was required to keep her other leg on the ground for balance, Say'ri could no longer do anything as she was swarmed. She screamed in frustration as many hands began to tear at her garments.

"Ah ha ha!" Excellus laughed as he watched from the balcony. He was slightly winded from running up the stairs, but the effort was clearly worth it due to the beautiful sight being displayed in front of him. "Just look at her squirm!"

His festivities were cut short when a pair of wyverns tore a hole through the ceiling. Three pegasi flew through it, depositing three people onto the second floor balcony.

At the same time, multiple bolts of dark magic rained from above, landing around Say'ri. This caused Excellus's men to scatter. The ones who reacted fast enough were able to stumble a few steps back in time, but the slower men were killed instantly.

Following the rain of magic, a Wyvern Lord swooped down and dropped a single, cloaked figure in front of Say'ri.

"W-wait…" Excellus stammered. "I-I recognize that-"

He flinched in his seat as the figure removed his hood to reveal the face of the tactician he absolutely dreaded.

"YOU!" Excellus pointed a shaking finger at him. "It's YOU!"

Robin didn't even notice him. He brandished his scythe towards the men in front of him.

"You all have some nerve." He growled. "None of you are even worthy to lay a finger on her. And now, you shall face the consequences."

Robin immediately rushed forward and began to swing his weapon without abandon. Gerome, Cherche, Cordelia, and Cynthia all hovered above Say'ri protectively, stopping anyone who ran at her. Sumia, on the other hand, knocked waves of people away with some carefully aimed wind magic.

Excellus and his men were in no position to react appropriately. They had been, and some quite literally, caught with their pants down. All of his men on the first floor didn't have armor equipped either, which made Robin's job extremely easy.

"G-guards!" Excellus stammered as he began to panic. "Take them out! Take them out NOW!"

"What? You mean these guards?" An orange haired Assassin smirked as he twirled a dagger around. At his feet lay the bodies of many of his men.

Excellus looked to his left and right. On one side, a swordswoman with blue hair was slashing up the last of his guards, while on the other, a pinkette Assassin was pulling her dagger out of the last guard on her side. While his attention had been fixated on the ground floor, his personal guard had been thoroughly decimated.

"Game over, ugly." The male Assassin told him he closed in for the final kill. Gaius stabbed a blade towards the face of Excellus.

To his credit, the fat eunuch was able to move his head to the side fast enough to prevent death. However, the blade of the knife still stabbed into his left ear. Excellus screamed in pain, but Gaius seemed more annoyed than anything else. He flicked his blade upwards and brought it down again, cutting the ear clean off.

"My ear!" Excellus wailed. "My ear!"

"Calm down Fatty." Gaius sighed. "I don't want to have to wear the edge down too much. Just stay still and I promise I'll kill you quickly."

Gaius raised his weapon again and prepared to bring it down on Excellus. The former Valmese tactician could only cower in fear.

But, before Gaius was able to secure the kill, a glowing magic circle appeared under his feet. Instinctively, Gaius lept backwards, which was the wise choice. A short moment later, dark magic erupted from the circle.

"What the!?" Gaius looked at Excellus in confusion. "You're a sneaky one."

However, it was evident that Excellus was equally as confused. Moments later, a man clothed in dark robes materialized behind Excellus. One of his eyes were covered it what looked like bandages.

"That's quite enough." The man stated.

"Enough?" Gaius snorted. "I don't think so. I answer to Robin, not one of Fatty's clowns."

"You've got the wrong idea." The man chuckled. "I am not this man's subordinate. Actually, he is mine. Or rather… about to be mine."

"Lies!" Excellus roared. "I'm done with all of the subordination! I'm always left with the short end of the stick!"

However, the Eunuch turned into a mewling mess as soon as the man glared daggers at him.

"I'm offering you you're life." The man stated. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

"Not so fast." Lucina walked over and brandished her sword at the man. "What if we don't allow you to? Excellus has hurt our friends one too many times. We're not leaving until he's dead."

"Y-yeah." Olivia nodded in agreement as she pulled out her bow.

"Tch." The man snorted. "As if any of you could do anything to harm me. Really, I'm only stepping in because this man could be useful for me and my cause. His death might make you feel better, but to me, it's just a waste."

"Who even are you?" Gaius asked, pointing a dagger at the man's face.

"Who I am doesn't concern you. For all I know, this is the last time we'll meet." The man chuckled. "But if it makes you feel any better, I am a traveling scholar hailing from a distant land. Rest assured. I'll be taking him with me. To a different continent. You'll never see him again."

"I don't think so." Gaius stated. "He's still dying right here. Tonight."

"Oh, but I DO." The man chuckled. "And frankly, I don't have time to waste with you anymore."

Gaius threw a knife at Excellus and Olivia fired a shot from her bow, hoping to blindside the man. However, the man and Excellus had materialized away in a fraction of a second. The attacks hit the chair, but didn't score any kills.

"Damn it!" Gaius stabbed another knife into the balcony railing.

"It looks like we've failed…" Olivia sighed.

"At least… if the man was telling the truth…." Lucina began. "We won't have to ever see him again."

"That foreign land couldn't have been Ylisse, could it?" Gaius asked.

"No, I don't think so." Lucina shook her head. "Ylisseans don't dress like that. Unless he's Feroxi or Plegian, I don't think he could be referring to our continent."

"Well he definitely wasn't Plegian, that's for sure." Gaius sighed as he pulled his knife back out of the railing and Excellus's chair. "I've worked with them before. Not a single person, not even the dark mages, dressed like that."

He turned expectantly to Olivia.

"N-not from Regna Ferox either." She finally replied after understanding the implications. "There aren't many magic users to begin with. If he's really powerful, then everyone in Ferox would know about him. At least, if he were Feroxi that is."

"Well, with a little luck, we might never run into him again." Gaius shrugged. "Let's hope that's the case."

**Meanwhile…**

Robin and the others took care of the men who were about to assault Say'ri extremely efficiently. After all the aggressors had been killed, Robin finally turned to face her. That was when he realized the current state Say'ri was in.

Most of her clothing had been torn apart. Had she walked around a market like that, she would've been arrested for public nudity. Robin immediately covered his eyes with his left hand, but not before a noticeable tinge of red crept onto his cheeks.

"S-sorry." Robin said sheepishly.

"N-no… it is all right." Say'ri replied. She was equally embarrassed, but there really wasn't anything she could've done. "You did not look on purpose after all. The only reason you are here was to save us anyway."

"Right." Robin nodded, still covering his eyes. "Then I'll let the other ladies take care of you then. I'll go check on Lon'qu."

"Prithee! W-wait!" Say'ri exclaimed, even as Cordelia came over and began to cut the ropes binding her wrists. "Lon'qu… he is badly injured."

"Got it." Robin nodded, still trying to walk away as soon as possible. "I'll tend to his wounds then. At least, I'll stabilize him until we can get him back to Lissa."

Robin began to walk away towards where Lon'qu was. Say'ri gingerly rubbed her injured wrists as Cordelia cut her free.

"Poor thing." Cherche sighed as she wrapped her cloak around Say'ri, doing the best to cover her up. Say'ri had to admit. Whatever Cherche used to scent her clothing smelled extremely pleasant.

Moments later, Robin, who was much more exhausted, listened to the report by Lucina and Olivia as he sat down and leaned his back against a support pillar. Although frustrated they hadn't actually killed Excellus, he decided he should still call the night a victory.

"How is it that you can kill that many people without breaking a sweat, but healing one person exhausts you so much?" Cordelia teased. "I bet you're just faking it."

"It always takes more effort to clean up a mess than to create one." Robin chuckled. "Miriel was talking about something like that a while ago. I forget what she called it. Introphy? Enthalmy? I can't remember."

"W-wait…" Lucina held up a hand. "You said ROBIN healed him?"

"Yeah, that doesn't make sense." Cynthia frowned. "I don't remember uncle Robin being able to do anything like that."

"Really?" Cordelia asked. "Because this isn't the first time he's healed anyone. He was the one that stabilized Virion when he got shot by a poison arrow."

"That was ROBIN!?" Lucina asked, absolutely and utterly surprised.

"Yeah, I guess this timeline is already a little different than you're old one." Robin chuckled nervously.

Lucina made a face at him, clearly not satisfied with the explanation. She walked up to her and bent down so that her face was level with his. "You. Are. Going. To. Tell. Me. Everything." she told him as she poked him in the chest with every word.

"All right, all right." Robin quickly conceded. "But when we get back to camp."

"I suppose I can wait that long." Lucina stood back up and crossed her arms. She then facepalmed. "Ugh! I still can't believe we let that guy escape!"

"Hey, good news!" Gaius said as he returned. "I did a little bit of snooping… and you'll never guess what I found! There's a room full of documents and such… I'm guessing it's all important information for the Black Market. I'm thinking we should burn it all."

"Yes." Robin nodded approvingly. "But first, I want to give the documents a quick scan. Perhaps there's some information that's even more useful for us to have than to just burn."

"Sounds good." Gaius agreed as he helped pull Robin up onto his feet.

True to his word, Robin looked through the documents quickly and pocketed a few of them. Other than that, he and Sumia torched the place with fire magic and the shepherds made their way back to camp with their two rescued friends.

Lon'qu hadn't regained consciousness yet, and Lissa almost had a panic attack when Sumia gently woke her and told her the news. She immediately got to work healing her husband-to-be. Thanks to the efforts of their War Cleric, Lon'qu's labored breathing soon calmed down, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief once Lissa declared he would be fine after a day or two of intensive medical care. If nothing goes wrong, at least.

With the issue pretty much resolved, most of the shepherds elected to go back to bed.

Robin wasn't sure what the best course of action for him was. He was passed out a few hours ago, so maybe he could use the extra rest, but at the same time, he had already slept enough for a typical day. He finally elected to light a fire once again.

Soon, Lissa joined him.

"I can't really sleep right now." Lissa told him as she sat down. "I mean, I know Lon'qu SHOULD be fine, but what if he isn't? What if his injuries are permanent?"

"Your assessment of him was that he'll be fine, right?" Robin asked. "And in the past, how often have you been wrong?"

"Well… there's always a time for firsts." Lissa retorted.

"He'll be fine." Robin chuckled. "You're just extra worried because you're really attached to him. More than any of us. That means there's more at stake for you this time. But in reality, he'll end up right as rain, just like all of your patients."

"Yeah… I hope so." Lissa sighed.

There was a sound of someone stretching, and soon Gaius sat down with the two of them.

"Hey there, Princess. Bubbles." The Assassin said as he popped a sucker into his mouth. "What's shakin'?"

"Nothing new." Robin chuckled at the absurd question. "The more pressing question is, why are YOU here?"

"Oh, I figured someone is needed to cover Lon'qu's night shift." Gaius said as he absentmindedly cleaned one of his daggers. "And I wasn't doing anything else, so I figured I may as well work overtime."

"You're not getting paid any extra, y'know." Lissa told him. "We know you aren't THAT altruistic."

"All right, all right, all right." Gaius shrugged. "Ya got me. Cordelia says to get myself cleaned up before I join her in bed again. Says I smell too much of blood. But hey, it ain't my fault that some of it gets on me. Can't afford to care about these things when you're takin' on a hoard of enemies."

"But… you're not cleaning yourself right now." Lissa pointed out.

"It's not MY fault!" Gaius protested. "It's the middle of the night! I ain't takin' a bath while it's dark out!"

"So… you're staying up the rest of the night then?" Robin asked.

"Bingo!" Gaius snapped his fingers and pointed at Robin. "I'll get cleaned up in the morning. Or afternoon… or tomorrow night."

"Now you're just putting it off." Lissa accused.

"I guess." Gaius shrugged. "Don't feel like doing anything right now though. Figured it's the least I can do to reward myself for that spectacular fighting back there. "Cept the whole Excellus thing. Couldn't kill him in time. Cut off his ear though."

Just then, two more figures walked towards them. Olivia and Lucina stopped by the fire, wrapped in nothing but a couple of washcloths.

"Oh look, maybe you could learn a thing or two from them." Lissa told Gaius.

"I'm willing to bet my entire sweets sack that it was uncomfortable though." Gaius furrowed his brows. "The bath, I mean."

"It WAS really cold." Olivia admitted. "But we only got the towels wet to clean ourselves, so it wasn't as bad. Speaking of, I'd better go get some dry clothes to change into. Then I'll probably return to bed. Good luck everyone!"

With that, Olivia began to walk back to her tent.

"Yeah…" Lucina looked like she was thinking about something. "Robin… Olivia told me everything she knows. Is it… is it true that Walhart is your uncle?"

"I mean, I guess." Robin sighed and gave a shrug. "But trust me, I didn't know either."

"And that means… all of the other stuff is true as well?" Lucina pressed.

"I'm assuming." Robin nodded. "Olivia probably wouldn't make anything ridiculous up."

"So why did you never tell me before!?" Lucina demanded.

"Hey, I only just recently found out as well!" Robin protested. "And I've been having some dreams recently that may suggest I have a different past in this timeline than yours."

"Hey, calm down Blues Jr." Gaius told Lucina. "There's been a lot going on. I'm sure Bubbles didn't mean to hide things from you."

Lucina finally sighed in defeat. "All right, I trust you. I guess I won't interrupt your conversation then. I'd better go change and catch a little bit more sleep."

"Sweet dreams!" Robin called after her retreating figure before turning back to Lissa and Gaius. The three of them talked for the next couple of hours until the sun rose.

Chrom, having woken up when Lucina came for Sumia, had a general understanding that something had occurred the previous night. However, it was nothing like what he had expected.

"You're telling me you went to go do WHAT!?" The exalt exclaimed at Robin after he had given his report.

"Excellus captured Say'ri and Lon'qu." Robin sighed, having to repeat himself. "We went to go save them. I knew the location because it was something I read from Cassius. Turns out, they had some vital documents." Robin gestured to the papers he held in his hand. "They contain the location and details of all the other Black Market buildings. I'm thinking we pass these over to Say'ri. I'm sure she could organize the rest of the continent in the purging of this organization."

"That sounds good." Chrom nodded in approval. "Speaking of, how is she doing?"

"Maribelle went to go check on her earlier this morning." Robin replied. "She's still a little shaken up, but she didn't get any injuries at all. The person I'm more worried about is actually Lon'qu. Not only did he have numerous lacerations, but there were a few burn wounds as well. Lissa is doing her best though, so he's in good hands."

"Right." Chrom nodded. "Then I guess it's safe to say that our job on the continent of Valm is just about done. We'll pass those documents to Say'ri at the harbor. Then we'll finally be able to return home."

"Sounds good." Robin smiled. "We'd better inform Virion and Cherche that we're leaving."

The pair then entered Virion's mansion to search for him and his fiance.

The first people Chrom and Robin ran into were some of Virion's newest servants. They were still busy cleaning, but as soon as they saw the two shepherds, the servants stopped to greet and bow.

"It seems they're getting well situated." Chrom noted.

"Yeah. I don't think anything bad will happen to them under Virion's wing." Robin nodded. "And not to mention, Virion benefits too. This is a situation where pretty much everyone wins."

They found Virion and Cherche in the master bedroom. He and Cherche were overseeing the cleaning and restoration of their sleeping quarters. Virion had insisted that they finish the rest of the rooms first, and save this one for last.

"Ah!" Virion smiled as soon as he saw Chrom and Robin. "How magnificent! What can I do for you?"

"Can we talk?" Chrom asked. "To you and Cherche?"

"Privately." Robin added.

Virion thought for a brief moment. He turned to the servants in his room. "Continue your hard work, my beloved staff. Cherche and I have some business to attend to. We'll be back in a moment's notice. Virion, away!"

With that, Virion ushered Chrom and Robin to another empty room with Cherche following closely behind.

"So what did you need?" Cherche asked as soon as the four of them were alone.

"We're going to leave for Ylisse." Chrom replied. "Probably this afternoon."

"I… see." Virion sighed. "Very understandable. However, it doesn't make the goodbyes any less bitter."

"We don't like it any better." Robin chuckled. "We're losing two valuable family members as well."

"Well then, it would be rude for me to keep you, considering you have your own country to return to." Virion began. "And frankly, I'm ashamed to inform you that I do not have any parting gifts ready."

"There's no need." Chrom chuckled. "I don't think I would allow myself to accept anything of extreme value from you anyway."

"But, let me be clear." Virion continued. "House Virion, as well as all of Rosanne, owes you and Ylisse a huge debt. One that nigh cannot be paid. So therefore, this is the only thing I can offer. Should Ylisse ever require any assistance of any sort, just call and Rosanne will support your endeavors in any and every way possible."

"Thanks." Chrom smiled. "I hope the good relations between our two nations will last indefinitely."

"As do I." Virion smiled back as he gave the Exalt a handshake. "As do I."

"It was a good run." Robin smiled and offered his hand as well. "I'm going to miss our chess games a lot."

"'twas." Virion agreed, also shaking the tactician's hand. "And, I too, shall miss our games."

"Thanks for everything." Cherche smiled at Chrom while Virion was shaking Robin's hand. She gave Chrom a hug, which Chrom awkwardly returned. Afterwards, she did the same with Robin.

"All right. We'll leave you to your house cleaning." Chrom said. "There's some preparations to do after all."

"Take care!" Robin raised a hand as a form of goodbye as he followed Chrom towards the door.

**A Few Hours Later…**

The shepherds had already begun marching towards Valm Harbor. They'd barely marched for five minutes before a Wyvern Lord began chasing them from the rear.

"Wait!" Cherche called.

Chrom motioned for everyone to stop.

"Is something wrong?" The Exalt asked her when she finally caught up to them.

"I came after Gerome." Cherche explained. "I didn't realize he would be going with you as well."

"Oh." Chrom chuckled sheepishly. "Honestly, I had completely forgotten. I guess that's something for the two of you to work out. We'll give you some time."

"There's no need." Gerome stated. "I'm not going back with you… _mother."_

"Why not?" Cherche asked in concern. "Have I done something to offend you?"

"YOU haven't done anything… not yet at least." Gerome gritted his teeth. "But the fact of the matter is that my real parents are dead. You and that man are mere mirror images of them. I came back to the past with my friends, and I'm not about to abandon them to live out the few short years you probably have remaining with a couple of strangers."

"Harsh." Cherche sighed. "But I suppose it also makes sense. I wish you and your friends good luck in changing the future then."

She then turned to Chrom. "I guess my trip out here was completely pointless. Forgive me for the delay."

"No, it's fine." Chrom assured her. "Take care."

With that, Cherche took off, and the shepherds continued towards Valm Harbor. There were no more interruptions for the rest of the day.

**That Evening…**

After dinner, Robin had retired to his own tent for the night. At least, to what he had thought would be his own tent. He sighed when he realized that Lucina's stuff was also in his tent as well.

After around half an hour of isolation from the rest of the shepherds, his tent flap opened. In walked Lucina wrapped up in some towels. It was clear that she must have just finished taking a bath.

"So is this going to be a regular occurrence in the future?" Robin asked.

"Yep!" Lucina grinned cheekily. "I hope it's not too much of a bother."

"If that's how it's going to be, why don't we just not bother setting up your own tent? It would save some time." Robin suggested.

"Mmhmm." Lucina nodded. "I didn't even set it up."

"Well, are you going to get changed then?" Robin asked. "You'll catch a cold like that."

"My hair is still wet." Lucina pouted. "It's the worst part of taking a bath. Takes forever to dry."

"Maybe I can help you." Robin suggested, patting the part of the bedroll right next to him. "Come over here."

"Help me?" Lucina wondered out loud. "How?"

Regardless, she sat down next to Robin. The tactician began to remove the towel that Lucina had used to wrap up her hair. As her hair spilled out, Robin's nose was assaulted by a delightful smell.

'Is that perfume?' He wondered to himself. 'Nevermind. You can ask about that later.'

He raised his right hand up to her wet hair and began to channel a small amount of energy into it. The result was the heating of the air around his hand. This slowly dried Lucina's hair.

"Robin… what are you doing?" Lucina asked in surprise as she felt a warm feeling around her scalp.

"I'm basically casting a basic fire spell." Robin explained. "However, I'm dissipating the energy so that it can't actually create a flame. The result is that the energy simply heats up the air, which will dry your hair faster."

"You're a genius Robin." Lucina smiled, closing her eyes.

"I know." Robin smirked.

"I'm really lucky, you know." Lucina sighed.

"I am as well." Robin immediately replied. "I am as well."

After Lucina's hair was dry, she changed into her sleep clothes and the pair prepared to go to sleep. Both of them slept quite soundly that night.

**The Next Day…**

The shepherds were once again on the move. After having breakfast and packing everything up, they had a few hours of quiet travel. This changed once they approached a village that was somewhat close to Valm Harbor.

"Turn around and get lost, you swine!" A voice thundered. "This land belongs to the Stonewall Knights! If you need a second notice, I'll write it on your men's corpses!"

"Ya-har!" A second, slightly more familiar, voice replied. "A pile of corpses could still out fight you sorry lots! This is our territory, and no one gives orders to the Riders of Dawn!"

"What do you make of that?" Chrom asked.

"Mercenaries, from the look, milord." Frederick replied. "Probably rival bands squabbling over some petty matters. A common sight in times like these, I'm afraid. But if it comes down to the bloodletting, it is the nearby villages that suffer."

As if on cue, a man, carrying what was presumed to be some of his belongings, ushered his wife, father, and two children away from the village.

"Excuse me, good sir!" Frederick called out to him.

The man flinched when he saw the shepherds. "P-please! This is all that I have! Don't take our lives away from us!"

"Peace, friend." Chrom raised one hand. "We mean no harm. We just wished to ask you some questions about the fighting up ahead."

"Th-the mercenary groups?" The man quivered.

"Yes, if you please." Chrom smiled. "We were just wondering about what's happening."

"They're the Stonewall Knights and the Riders of Dawn." The man's father responded. "They both claim this village to be their territory, and constantly bicker and fight over it. My son is taking our family a good distance away while they fight. It may save our lives, but we can only hope our house is still standing when we get back."

"The Riders of Dawn?" Chrom wondered aloud. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"We ran into them while fighting that imposter of yours." Robin reminded him. "They were the ones that shot Virion with a poison arrow, remember?"

"Ah, yes." Chrom nodded. "But if I recall correctly, they seemed to be a decent group of mercenaries. And you say they're terrorizing your village?"

"Y-yes, milord." The old man responded. "Both groups claim to be mercenary groups, but in truth, they don't care at all about the civilians living here. A few months ago, my wife was trampled by the Riders of Dawn during a skirmish between the two sides."

"And the Stonewall Knights are not any better!" The old man's daughter in law exclaimed. "They'll cut down anyone in the way! The only thing that matters to them is killing as many of the Riders of Dawn as possible!"

"I see. So they're a bit of a nuisance to the villagers here." Chrom grumbled. "All right, I suppose it is our duty to solve this issue then, since we're in the area. Shepherds, prepare for battle!"

Before he left, Robin stopped the old man.

"Thanks. We really appreciate the information." Robin told him as he took the old man's hand and pressed a few gold pieces into it. "Hopefully after today, this isn't a problem you'll ever have to worry about again."

"M-milord!" The old man stammered. "We can't accept this!"

"No, I insist." Robin chuckled. "It's barely anything, considering that your house might be on the line. Please, remain out here and keep yourselves safe. We'll take care of the groups as quickly as possible."

With that, Robin waved the family goodbye and ran to catch up with the rest of the shepherds.

"What a strange group of people…" The old man murmured to himself.

By the time Robin caught up, the shepherds had already gotten into eyeshot of both the groups.

"More sellswords!?" A General called to them from within the village. "You're timing is impeccable. I'll buy your steel and see that you're well compensated for your trouble."

"Hail, good sirs!" A Paladin called from the forest to their east. "Is it not the brave heroes of Ylisse? We are old acquaintances, are we not? Aid the Riders of Dawn, and we'll see that you are given half of the spoils!"

"Old acquaintances?" The General asked. "Pah, no matter. You are sellswords, no? You should be motivated by money instead. I'll pay you twice what that fool would!"

"Well Robin?" Chrom asked him. "What do you think? Are we siding with the Riders?"

Robin shook his head. "No."

"We're not siding with the Knights, are we?" Chrom asked, furrowing his brow.

"No." Robin chuckled.

"So… neither then?" Chrom asked. "Which means you aim to fight both?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Robin nodded. "Sure, it might solve the villagers' problems if we just defeat one group, but I think it would be best for them if we destroy both of them. Even with Lon'qu still resting with injuries, I think we can take them."

"I should have known." Chrom chuckled. "But are you sure about this? They have a lot of people in total. It may be difficult to defeat all of them. But, with that being said, I trust you, and so I'll leave the final decision up to you."

"Shepherds! Prepare for battle!" Robin exclaimed. "I want magic users near the village entrance, and armored units guarding our side closer to the forest! Bow users on our eastern flank, fighters on our west!"

"What's this?" The General roared. "How dare you reject the generous offer of Gyral and the Stonewall Knights?"

"You aim to raise your swords against us, the Riders of Dawn?" Dalen exclaimed. "It seems I put too much trust in you. Since you won't help us, I suppose us Riders will just have to ride over your dead corpses!"

"We'll get back to our argument later." Gyral called towards the Riders of Dawn. "First, there are these meddling sellswords who are too nosy for their own good. Let's work together and kill them all before we fight."

"Sounds good." Dalen replied. "It turns out, these guys'll stab you in the back as soon as they get the opportunity. It's best we take them out. They have absolutely no honor."

"Um… Robin?" Chrom chuckled nervously. "It looks like they might work together to defeat us."

"Yeah, I took that possibility into account." Robin replied nonchalantly as he continued to give out orders.

"That's fine and all, but I was kind of under the impression that it would be a three sided fight." Chrom smiled sheepishly. "That's a lot of people we have to kill then."

"It'll be fine!" Robin laughed. "Three sided battles always turn out to be messy. In a way, things are better this way. Trust me, we'll be more than fine."

"All right, if you say so." Chrom shrugged. "Where do you want me?"

"Over there. With Frederick and the others." Robin replied, pointing towards the forest. "Your job is to just hold on as long as you can."

Chrom hurriedly ran over to get in position. When he got there, he found that Anna was busy handing out Beast Killers to some of their allies.

"Oh, hey!" Anna gave him a smile and a wink. She handed him a Beast Killer as well. "Here's yours, Chrom! Robin specifically told me to give as many people these lances as possible."

Chrom looked at the odd figure of the Beast Killer. It was designed specifically for killing cavalry and mounted troops, which would, no doubt, give them an edge against the group calling themselves the Riders of Dawn. However, it was a lance, and although Chrom was no stranger to fighting with one at this point, it was still not the same as Falchion.

Pretty soon, Chrom could hear the thundering of hooves as the Riders approached the shepherds' position. Several Great Knights, Paladins, Rangers and Valkyries soon barrelled full speed towards them.

"This one's gonna hurt…" Chrom muttered.

"Don't worry, Chrom." Anna gave him a wink. "There's already a plan being set in motion."

She gestured towards Kellam, who was off to the side with a thick rope in his hands. When the Riders got close, he sharply pulled on said rope, causing many horses in the initial charge to trip and fall over. Frederick and Sully instantly went to meet the Riders who had safely passed the trip rope head on, but the rest of the shepherds knew an opportunity when they saw one. They all rushed forward and began to hit the Riders when they were down. In one move, several Paladins and Great Knights were removed from the battle.

Furthermore, the shepherds who had a Beast Killer were able to take down the enemy horsemen effectively. The Riders of Dawn were no match for Sully and Frederick, as well as Chrom and Kellam, and they slowly began to lose more and more members of their front line.

The fight was looking pretty good on this side. At least, for now. Chrom took a gamble and snuck a peek at the other side of the fight, where Robin oversaw things. However, this was a mistake as his loss of attention allowed an enemy Ranger to hit him in the arm with an arrow.

"Chrom!" Lissa exclaimed as she ran over with her staff ready. Chrom grunted in pain, but allowed for his sister to treat the wound.

A couple arrows of their own flew in the other direction, scoring hits on two enemy Valkyries. Immediately, two more followed, bringing down a third Valkyrie and a Ranger.

Gaius and Olivia each pulled two more arrows out of their quivers. After taking a moment to hold one of them in their teeth, they took aim with their second arrow, whittling down the Riders' backline. The two of them didn't have the opportunity to shine against the heavily armored Paladins and Great Knights, but now that most of them were dead, they could effectively assassinate their ranged opponents. Thanks to them, the potentially devastating magical attacks from enemy Valkyries were largely neutralized.

Noire, although much slower to fire than both of the assassins, was much better at killing the slightly better armored Rangers in one shot. She found herself focusing on killing their opponent's bow users, and always watched for opportunities to strike.

Although there were no major injuries or casualties so far on this side, the Riders of Dawn did still have the advantage in numbers. The balanced fight was becoming extremely fragile. While the shepherds were still able to beat back many of their opponents, cracks were beginning to form in their defences. Weapons, particularly the Beast Killers, didn't last forever. Furthermore, they didn't have many people to begin with, and so all they could do was hope that Robin was winning the war for them on the other side.

"All finished." Lissa declared after she finished bandaging Chrom's arm. "Do be more careful, won't you? Robin's side should be more than fine. Just worry about hanging on and slowing them down."

"Yeah." Chrom nodded. "You're right."

He got up and ran forward to fill in some of the cracks.

**With Robin…**

The fight with the Stonewall Knights was not quite so decisive. The main reason for that is because, unlike the Riders of Dawn, the Knights were the ones defending. There was no opportunity for Robin to use the terrain to set anything up. Knowing this full well, Robin had assigned more people to this side of the fight, but it still wasn't a cake walk. Currently, the two sides were trading magical attacks with one another. The Stonewall Knights took cover near and within some of the houses in the village, while Robin and the shepherds fired from behind the village's outer wall.

"Don't waste your energy firing at the Generals and Armored Knights!" Robin called to his allies as he leaned his back against the wall. "They might be easy targets, but the best people to kill are their Sages! Once their ranged magic users are killed, then we can pick the rest of them off at a distance."

"It's easier said than done." Tharja grumbled. "Especially since we're trying not to damage any of the houses."

"Why don't you just let use charge 'em?" Vaike asked. "I think we can take 'em head on."

"No, that could mean risking your lives." Robin gritted his teeth. "This is the safer response."

"It is nigh impossible to preserve both the infrastructure and organic lifeforms in the present situation." Miriel pointed out as she threw another Elfire towards an enemy Sage.

"We don't have the time to spare!" Ricken urged. "The other side doesn't have much in terms of manpower! If we don't end this fast, they might suffer casualties as well."

"You're going to have to make a choice, nya ha!" Henry giggled as he casually threw out Flux spells. "Personally, I'm fine with whatever, but I'm sure the others would have opinions of their own."

As much as he hated to admit it, his allies were right. Robin thought about Chrom and the others whose lives were at risk. Then he looked around at the shepherds who were currently with him, his eyes lingering on Lucina as she took cover behind the wall from an enemy spell. Gritting his teeth, Robin made his decision.

Robin stood up from his position, took aim, and threw a Thoron at a Sage who had poked his head out from his hiding place to throw out a spell of his own.

"Hit them with everything!" Robin ordered.

The magic users all looked at each other and smiled. Without an order to limit the strength of their spells, the Stonewall Knights found themselves suddenly at the mercy of a multitude of Rexcalibur, Bolganone, Thoron, and even Waste spells. The buildings began to crumble around the Knights, and they were forced to abandon their hiding positions.

Robin was glad that the pace of the battle had been picked up, but silently apologized to the villagers whose houses had been mostly decimated.

"Charge!" A voice called from within the village. The Generals, Armored Knights and Swordmasters that had been hiding behind their Sages suddenly emerged from the rubble and charged the shepherds' position.

"Hold steady!" Robin called. "Try and weaken them from a distance. Wait until they get close before going out to meet them!"

Lucina had her hand on her sword as she prepared for her opponents to get close. She was brought out from her concentration by Brady.

"What 'n tarnation!?" The Priest exclaimed. "Is that Yarne!?"

Lucina looked towards where he was pointing, and found that there indeed was a taguel running towards them. Panne was the only one in the past, and she was currently standing next to them, meaning that it had to be their friend, Yarne.

"Hey Yarne!" Lucina called, prompting the bunny to look over towards her. "It's me, Lucina!"

Seeming to realize who he was fighting against, Yarne immediately changed direction and began to run towards Lucina and Brady.

Miriel attempted to fire at what she thought was a feral attack bunny, but was stopped mid cast by Laurent.

"Mother, that is one of our friends." He informed her. "There's no need to kill him."

Miriel nodded and began to recast her spell, this time aimed at their true enemies.

"Whew!" Yarne sighed in relief as he changed back to his human form once he had reunited with a couple of his friends. "I was really scared there for a second!"

"Ya always are." Brady noted.

"I can't help it!" Yarne complained. "First, there were those Riders, then there was magic flying at me from the sky! I thought I was going to go extinct! But never mind all that. What are you guys doing here!?"

"Just passin' through." Brady answered truthfully. "Glad we ran into ya, though."

"Yeah, me too!" Yarned laughed in relief. "Me too!"

Once the two sides began fighting in close quarters, it was clear that the situation between this side and Chrom's was night and day. They weren't lacking in numbers, and the shepherds were clearly better equipped, and more experienced. The Stonewall Knights quickly fell apart under the harassment of the shepherds' fliers, as well as their hand to hand specialists.

It also didn't help that the Knights had a terribly lopsided composition. The speed reliant Swordmasters quickly left their armored allies in the dust and approached the shepherds much quicker. However, they didn't have very adequate protection, and were quickly killed off by the speedy members of the shepherds. Lucina had cut down three opponents before the rest of the Knights caught up.

Once the Swordmasters were killed off, only the heavily armored Knights were left. However, without their allies, they were just lumbering suits of armor with targets painted on their chests. They quickly melted, sometimes quite literally, under the constant fire of the shepherds' spellcasters.

After Robin's decision to disregard the houses in the village, the fight between them and the Stonewall Knights ended extremely abruptly. But there was not much time for celebration. It was clear that Chrom and the others were still holding on, but they were straining under the pressure.

"We don't have time to comb the battlefield." Robin told everyone. "Let's hurry and go help Chrom!"

The shepherds quickly retreated and ran back towards the forest.

Panne and Yarne were able to reach Chrom and the others far faster than the others. They were built to run through this type of terrain, after all. Panne was no stranger to the situation of the Taguel, and so when she saw a second one, she had immediately realized it must have been her offspring from the future. Knowing so gave her a great sense of pride.

While the Riders of Dawn had an undeniable overall advantage only a few moments ago, things quickly turned around once the rest of the shepherds arrived. All of a sudden, the Riders lost their advantage in numbers, and were quickly wiped out.

After all of the fighting had fizzled out, the shepherds were able to properly scan the battlefield. They were able to identify and confirm both the deaths of Gyral and Dalen.

"It's a shame." Robin shook his head. "Dalen seemed like a decent guy when we first met him. Turns out, he really wasn't much different than a common brigande."

"Yarne told me the Riders of Dawn tried to hunt him for sport." Lucina told him. "He had been taking shelter with the Stonewall Knights, but according to him, the Knights weren't much better. They just didn't feel the need to attack him."

"It's a shame things had to turn out this way." Robin sighed. "Tell the others to leave any valuables on the corpses. The villagers can pick through them themselves in order to help fund their recovery."

"We'll leave some gold for the villagers." Chrom put a hand on his shoulder. "But I think these villagers, once they've rebuilt, would be in better shape overall."

"I just hope they don't hold too much of a grudge." Robin shook his head. "Regardless, I think we might be able to finally finish our journey to Valm Harbor."

"Yeah, we could be on a ship back home by tomorrow afternoon." Chrom chuckled. "Let me just go talk to the innocents, and we can be on our way."

"All right." Robin nodded. "I'll go inform everyone."

**Yarne: HP: 100% Str: 70% Mag: 15% Skl: 65% Spd: 70% Lck: 40% Def: 55% Res: 35%**

**Age: 15**

**Class: Taguel**


	38. Disowned by Time

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since my last post, but I found myself with far less time for writing as it was the end of summer and I had to prepare for going back to school. Buying things, moving in, getting used to the new schedule, etc. was taking up a lot of my time and energy. **

**Morgan will be much younger than the one in the game, because I feel that would make more sense. In the actual game, it's possible for Morgan to marry someone, which is why she needed to be 'an adult', but there's no such limitation for this story. **

**That's all I have to say for now, here's chapter 38:**

**Undisclosed Time and Location…**

A young girl and her mother were currently crouching behind a cracked pillar within Naga's shrine. They both held their breath, desperately trying not to get found.

The mother grabbed her daughter's shoulders. "Listen to me, do you see that gate over there?"

The young girl snuck a peek and saw what looked like a door with a silky, lime green membrane stretched across it. "I think so, mama…"

"When I tell you to, I want you to run as fast as you can. No matter what, you have to make it safely across it." Her mother continued.

"But mama..." The young girl began to protest.

"Please, listen to me." Her mother pulled the girl into a hug. "I'll be right behind you. Just… trust me."

"O...ok mama…" The girl sniffled. "I'll listen to you."

"All right." The mother nodded. "Run. Now."

The girl took off as fast as she possibly could towards the gate. Several Risen in the area reacted to the sound of her footsteps and instantly turned towards her. One even got within striking distance, but was stopped when a sword suddenly protruded out of its chest. The Risen's head turned 180 degrees, exceeding what a living human would be capable of doing. It swung its axe arm around, turning its torso in order to attack its assailant. The swing managed to cause the assailant to dodge backwards. This action caused her hood to fly off, revealing the face of an older Lucina.

Lucina snarled and swung her Falchion again, this time killing the Risen for good. She snuck a quick glance towards her daughter, who was standing in front of the gate by now.

"Hurry up, mama!" The girl shouted. "Quickly!"

"Jump through the gate, Morgan!" Lucina shouted back. "Mother will be right behind you! Hurry, before it's too late!"

"I'll be waiting for you then, mama!" The girl known as Morgan replied as she leapt across the gate.

Lucina breathed a sigh of relief. She could focus on killing the rest of the Risen within the shrine now.

Moments later, an utterly exhausted Lucina was on her knees, leaning against Falchion, which was being driven into the ground point first. Her breathing was heavy.

She heard a figure approach her, but it didn't cause her to panic. "Is she safe?" Lucina asked.

"Yes." Tiki replied. "She is well on her way into the past. Into a more favorable timeline. And as we agreed, Naga will alter her memories so that what she remembers about you will become fuzzy at best. In fact, the only memories she'll retain are the happy ones of her father."

"That's good." Lucina panted. "Thank you, Lady Tiki."

"No, it wasn't me." Tiki shook her head. "It was the doing of Naga."

"Yes, you're right." Lucina chuckled. "I was such a fool… thinking everything was over… thinking that the crisis of my own timeline had been averted… I should have known that Grima couldn't have just disappeared all of a sudden."

"Not all hope is lost…" Tiki tried to reassure her. "Naga tells me there is still one more timeline where there is a chance that Grima can be defeated. As long as there is still one more timeline, then there is still hope. After all, Grima's power doesn't allow him to time travel, even with the assistance of all five gemstones. His raw power may be overwhelming, but all we need is to have one timeline where he is defeated in order to restore peace."

"It's a shame that I could not be there to help or witness his defeat then." Lucina sighed. "You're sure I cannot follow Morgan into the gate?"

"No." Tiki shook her head. "Your body would not be able to handle it. Traveling back in time once is draining enough. Doing so a second time could quite literally erase you from existence. I know it's not quite as comforting as you'd probably like, the fact that you were able to perform the Awakening for Naga a second time is already quite an accomplishment. It quite possibly saved your daughter's life."

"Then I have no choice but to believe in the shepherds of that timeline." Lucina sighed. "At the very least, I was a good enough mother, I guess."

"Unfortunately, we will have to stop this conversation." Tiki said regretfully. "Robin… no. Grima is approaching."

"Y-you're right." Lucina grunted as she forced herself back onto her feet. "Once upon a time, it might have been Robin. But I refuse to believe that Grima is the same man I love. And I guess I'll have to settle for seeing Robin one last time… even if he's in the form of a monster."

Lucina hobbled out of the shrine. Outside, a large storm was brewing. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and occasionally, a purple lightning bolt would strike the ground near the shrine. She continued moving forwards, knowing full well that she was walking towards her inevitable death.

In the distance, she could see the humongous figure of Grima slowly flying his way towards the shrine. His six wings moved rhythmically, and if the dragon hadn't been the envoy of death and destruction, Grima could almost be described as majestic. His six red eyes blinked on occasion, eerily flickering from within the dark clouds.

"I suppose this is my penance." Lucina mumbled. "Robin… seeing you like this fills me with so much pain… so much regret. For the last decade or so, you've treated me so well… and you were an excellent father. But I only repaid your kindness with betrayal. Even if everyone else turned on you for being the Fell Dragon's vessel, I should have been the one person to never leave your side. Perhaps… if only I had done things differently…" Lucina's eyes began to well up with tears. It had been a long time since she had cried. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had done so. "Perhaps… perhaps you wouldn't have turned towards the Grimleal. And perhaps you wouldn't have become the monstrosity you are today."

At this point, Grima had reached the shrine. His six eyes seemed to pick up on Lucina's location. Realizing that she was alone, the Fell Dragon roared in anger.

"Don't worry," Lucina smiled, even with tears still streaming down her face. "Morgan's safe."

Grima roared again, but Lucina couldn't tell how the dragon was actually feeling. Had it been Robin in control, even if he were furious at Lucina, he would be happy to know their daughter was safe. To be fair, hating Lucina would be completely justified, as she HAD attempted to murder him when he was still a human. And if it were truly Grima in control, then making him angry and not letting the dragon get his way would be her final victory against him. Either way, it was a win for her to let the dragon know.

Lucina dropped Falchion. She had learned a long time ago that the sword, which had only been blessed with the Awakening ritual using four gemstones, would be nigh useless against the god-dragon. She lifted her head towards Grima and closed her eyes in acceptance.

Lucina didn't even flinch as Grima's jaws lunged towards her, seeking to devour her whole.

**Shepherd's Camp, Valm Harbor, Present Timeline…**

Lucina sat up from her bed, panting.

Robin, who had been asleep next to her, sensed Lucina's movement, and slowly sat up as well. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." Lucina shook her head. "Just a nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Robin asked as he wrapped her in a hug. "You're shaking. Was it really that bad?"

"I… the details are a little fuzzy." Lucina nodded numbly. "I don't remember much… but the last thing I remember was…" she choked back a sob. "I was standing face to face with Grima. The last thing I remember was Grima's jaws flying towards me… he was just about to devour me… and then I woke up."

'She's scared…' Robin realized as she was explaining the dream to him.

"Hey, it's all right." Robin comforted her. "It's just a dream. You don't need to focus on the terrifying thoughts. You don't need to be afraid either. I know it might be hard after having a nightmare, but try to get some more sleep. I'm going to be right here next to you after all."

The two slowly laid back down on the bedroll. Feeling that Lucina could use some more comfort, Robin wrapped an arm around her waist. He was cautious at first, but seeing no adverse reaction from Lucina, Robin quickly relaxed.

"Do you ever have trouble falling asleep after a nightmare?" Lucina whispered.

"Yeah." Robin admitted. "Sometimes, I'm not able to fall asleep at all."

"I guess I'm not the only one then." Lucina muttered.

"Don't think about it for now." Robin suggested. "Just close your eyes and try to sleep."

Lucina obliged, and although it took a while, she eventually was able to fall back into a steady slumbering state.

Robin, however, didn't fall asleep quite yet.

'She describes Grima like a monster. And I can't really just… not believe her.' Robin thought to himself. 'But when Grima spoke to me in my dreams, he seemed… civilized. Does this mean that his behavior was just an act?'

Robin sighed. 'No, wait a minute. Beings like Naga and Grima… they have three parts to them. Miriel confirmed it herself. And in my dreams, Grima made it clear that it was only the consciousness that was talking to me. Does this mean Grima only turns into the destructive Fell Dragon once all three of his parts are assembled? Is that what we have to prevent? If so, how do we do that?'

He shook his head slightly. 'There's no use thinking about that now. I really don't have enough information to make these conclusions yet. Perhaps I'll be able to figure it out in the near future. For now, I should be getting some sleep as well.'

A few moments later, two sets of rhythmic breathing filled the tent as both inhabitants slept relatively soundly.

**Next Day, Valm Harbor…**

Robin was busy overseeing the loading of their ships. There was plenty to do, and plenty to bring back to Ylisse. Many of the crates that the shepherds were loading contained necessary supplies that they had bought for the trip, but many others contained gifts that the citizens of Valm Harbor prepared for them. The general consensus was that the quality of life at the Harbor had been elevated by quite a significant margin since the shepherds defeated Valm and Walhart.

Soft footsteps scrunched across the sands as Lucina ran towards him. She had a small, brown purse hanging near her waist.

"It's quite the bustling town today." The princess said when she reached him. "You can feel the excitement in the air!"

'"How was it?" Robin asked as he looked up from the checklists he was busy working on. Chrom had given the next generation of shepherds the day off so that they could go visit the town. Not only had they been recently brought together again, but he also figured they could use some time to enjoy themselves without the stress of saving the world resting upon their shoulders.

He was slightly taken aback by what he saw. In Lucina's hair was a light blue flower with a bright yellow center. He smiled at how beautiful it made her look.

"It was great!" Lucina beamed at Robin's reaction. "I think some of the street vendors recognized me. They kept approaching us and offering us free stuff."

"Including the flower?" Robin pointed at it.

"Yeah!" Lucina smiled. "The florist said it was called a Morning Glory or something like that. She told me it complimented my hair well. Cynthia got one as well. You should've seen how happy she was."

"And why is that?" Robin chuckled.

"We never really had flowers in the future." Lucina sighed. "They just didn't have enough sunlight to grow. Flowers as colorful as this one just didn't exist. Which is why seeing them now makes them all the more precious to us."

"I'm sorry." Robin facepalmed. "I… shouldn't have even asked."

"No, no!" Lucina shook her head. "It's fine, really. I can't really hide from it. Instead, it just means I need to treasure these moments even more."

"That's a very… sophisticated outlook." Robin replied. "What's in the bag?"

"Oh, this?" Lucina reached down and picked up the purse. "I think they're just some cosmetic stuff. I'm actually not sure about everything in here, but I'll ask mother about it later. It was a gift as well. Does it look cute?"

"Very." Robin nodded.

"Really?" Lucina looked almost surprised at the response. "I don't know… it just looks kind of… plain to me. Like, there's no bright colors or patterns or anything."

"No, I think it looks fine." Robin insisted. "Even if the colors are a little dull, it really makes you look mature. Really bright colors don't have that same effect."

"Really?" Lucina furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yeah." Robin nodded again.

"Well, I'll take your word for it then, I guess." Lucina shrugged. "I'm going to go find Cynthia and the others again. But before I go... "

She handed Robin an object wrapped in deli paper.

"What is it?" The tactician asked as he set his stuff down in order to unwrap it.

"It's a cookie." Lucina responded. "The bakery we visited had them, and I thought they were so delicious that I should get you one as well. I mean… you all are still working hard while the rest of us are just having fun…"

"Thank you for thinking of me. Really, it's no problem. You all deserve it anyway." Robin chuckled. "And I wouldn't want to keep your friends waiting. Why don't you go back to them then? We can talk some more once we get on the boat."

"Sure." Lucina nodded before turning around and running back towards the town. She turned and waved at him. "See you later then!"

Robin smiled and waved back. Once she climbed up the steps and off of the beach, Robin took a bite out of the cookie Lucina gave him and returned to work.

**Hours Later…**

It was well into the afternoon when the shepherds were finally able to set sail. Say'ri stood on the shore and tearfully waved them goodbye until she was but a speck in the distance. Afterwards, she got on a horse and began the long ride back to Chon'sin.

Once again, the shepherds were treated to the sight of an open ocean. All of Lucina's friends were understandably amazed, having never sailed the open ocean before. They enjoyed it far more than the shepherds had on their first voyage. Afterall, they didn't have the war with Valm looming over their heads. All of the problems of their future, including Grima, seemed a lifetime away.

Robin leaned on the gunwale as he looked off into the distance. He was deep in thought, and the open ocean seemed to aid him in the process. Coupled with the sound of the waves as they rocked against the boat, he entered an almost trance-like state.

He began to tune out the sounds of his friends laughing and having fun on the other side of the boat.

'Lady Tiki talked about how we need to gather all five stones in order to perform the Awakening.' Robin thought to himself. 'Thanks to Say'ri and Basilio, we now have our hands on four of the stones. This means that all we're missing is one of them, so I guess in a sense, our next objective is pretty clear.'

He gripped the gunwale as an unusually large wave crashed against the ship. 'Even though the general objective is clear, the details on how we're going to find it isn't. We don't really have any leads on where to even start searching. We'll probably have to have a meeting on the subject when we get back to Ylisstol.'

"...Robin! Hello!? Uncle Robin?" A voice directly behind him called as he felt a finger poking his back. Robin clumsily turned around to see Cynthia standing there. "I've been calling you for a couple of minutes now! How come you're ignoring me?"

"S-sorry." Robin sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I was just… thinking. I must've not heard you. Did you need something?"

"Well, I was just wondering something." Cynthia grinned. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Robin shrugged. "About what?"

"Well…." Cynthia smiled mischievously. "From what I gathered, many of my friends' parents actually haven't gotten married just yet. Apparently, father is giving them some time off to go do that when we get back to Ylisse."

"Yeah, that seems fair." Robin nodded. "What about it?"

"Well I was wondering if you were going to marry big sister Lucy!" Cynthia blurted. Robin was taken completely off guard as his cheeks instantly flared red.

"Th-that… I think it's still a little bit early to be thinking about marriage." Robin stammered. "And besides, we haven't really gotten to spend much time to get to know each other yet."

"YOU might not have, but Lucina's known you for over ten years!" Cynthia replied. "And we all know that it's what she wants. She's not very good at hiding it. And it would mean the world to me, as well as the rest of us. You see, in the future, Lucy carried the burdens of all of us on her shoulders. Sure, we were all there to support her, but she helped guide us here. None of us would be alive if it weren't for her. And also, I'm her sister, so naturally, I'd want her to be happy. But in our timeline, I don't remember ever seeing her smile. Truth be told, I've never seen her as happy as she is now. Really! You would make her so happy if you proposed to her."

"You're asking a lot of me." Robin chuckled.

"Well, what's the hold up?" Cynthia asked. "Is there a reason you're afraid to ask? Do you not love her?"

"Well, love is a strong word…" Robin began. "I do really like her though…"

Cynthia rolled her eyes. "And you think that with a little more time, your feelings might change? If you're not absolutely sure you love her, one day you might end up disliking her?"

"N-no… not that…" Robin sighed.

"Then what?" Cynthia pressed. "I KNOW for a fact that Lucina would say yes if you asked. She WANTS you to ask. So I hope you're not hesitating because you're worried about being rejected."

"What would your father think?" Robin asked.

"Oh….." Cynthia nodded in understanding. "Yeah, don't worry about it. I already asked him. He said that it's up to Lucina. So really, his opinion is irrelevant. And that means… you have no reason to wait! But don't tell him I told you that."

Once again, Robin sighed. "All right, all right. I'll think about it. Is that good enough? It's not like you're asking me to deliver a letter or anything, you know. This is a decision that would affect the rest of my life, and the rest of Lucina's."

"Hooray!" Cynthia cheered. She turned around and began to walk back towards where she had come from. "All right, remember to come down for dinner. I can't wait until you're my brother in law! That'll be exciting!"

Robin stayed put for a few more minutes, so that he could think things over. However, seeing as his concentration had been destroyed, he heeded the call of his stomach and went downstairs for dinner.

**Later that night…**

The sun had just set. While most of the shepherds remained below deck, he preferred to be out under the night sky. While it could certainly be enjoyable to join his friends for cards or perhaps conversation, all while eating, drinking and being merry, but at the same time, it was extremely rare for him to have a moment of peace and quiet while aboard the ship.

He found himself stargazing once again. It was a pretty natural thing to do at this point. Staring at the night sky helped him think, but when his thoughts drifted off, he would usually snap back to attention, finding that he'd been analyzing constellations and formations of the night sky in a trance like state. It was as if his mind knew that it needed to take a break and do something other than think about battle tactics or politics every once in a while.

The soft creaking of the floorboards which indicated that someone was coming up from below deck brought him back to reality. He turned around to see Lucina approach him.

"I thought I'd find you up here." The princess hiccupped. She slowly made her way over to him, but it was clear that her steps were a little bit wobbly. "You've never been the type to party very hard."

"Have you…" Robin chuckled, his voice tinged with concern. "...been drinking?"

"Not a lot." Lucina waved her hand dismissively. She eventually found her footing and leaned on both Robin and the gunwale for support. "Apparently, at Valm Harbor, one of the breweries insisted on gifting us a keg of mead for our efforts… and pretty much all the others mirrored their actions. So now… *hic* we have a few kegs of mead and beer with us. Pretty much everyone was drinking. I only had a single drink though."

"A single drink?!" Robin blinked a few times. "How strong was it?"

"According to… *hic* Vaike… it's nothing out of the ordinary." Lucina explained. "Apparently I'm just that weak to alcohol. But you should have seen… *hic* Aunt Lissa… she drank just one as well, but passed out. Uncle Lon'qu had to carry her back to their room."

"I… don't know what to make of that." Robin admitted. "I guess never to feed her alcohol? Although, I'm surprised you were allowed to drink in the first place. Didn't Chrom have anything to say about the matter?"

"Well… *hic* he was against it at first… but Stahl argued that it wasn't really fair for the 'adults' to drink in front of us, considering in this timeline our ages didn't differ by too much… and then… *hic* Vaike declared that no son of his would teetotaler. After that… well… father caved. At least, for most of us. He insisted that Cynthia didn't drink." Lucina giggled at the memory. "Cynthia protested at first, but she changed her mind after tasting one sip of father's beer. You should have seen the look of disgust on her face. She ran over to me, complaining that father had played a prank on her and filled his mug with pegasus urine."

"That WOULD have been funny to see." Robin admitted. "Although… what's more surprising is that Vaike knew what a teetotaler was. Perhaps Miriel's book knowledge is beginning to rub off on him a little."

"No, it was nothing like that." Lucina giggled. "It was actually Laurent who told him the word he was thinking of. Vaike actually tried to explain it with several more sentences, actually. But nonetheless, Laurent seemed to be an expert in drinking, despite us never having alcohol in the future."

"How so?" Robin asked.

"Well… *hic* although I don't think father is necessarily weak to beer, it seems that Laurent would actually be able to drink him under the table." Lucina explained. "By the time I had left, he already had like three or four drinks, and he seemed as alert as ever."

"Hmm... " Robin thought for a moment. "Vaike's son. Makes sense."

"Honestly… I can't understand… why…. *hic* you all enjoy drinking so much." Lucina admitted. "Naga, I wish these *hic* hiccups would stop. Ugh… I feel sick..."

"I think it's kind of cute." Robin chuckled. "But maybe you should stay away from alcohol in the future."

"You really think so?" Lucina asked. "And… *hic* yeah…"

Although most of the sound from downstairs were muffled up on the deck, occasionally, someone who was louder could be heard somewhat clearly.

"Oi! Country bumpkin!" they heard Gregor shout. "No good, this is. Friend is only on second drink, no? Cannot be getting the drunk now! Look at bride! Maribelle just fine after three! Cannot be getting outdone by pretty little lady, yes?"

"Gimme a break, ya big oaf!" Donnel retorted. "We ain't got anythin' like this back on th' farm!"

Robin and Lucina made eye contact. They simultaneously began to laugh at what was no doubt happening below deck.

"If you're… *hic* I mean… if you want to go join them, go ahead." Lucina told him.

"No, it's fine." Robin insisted. "I could always join them later. For now, I think I'd rather stay up here and enjoy the peace and quiet… with you."

"Thanks…" Lucina murmured before wrapping an arm around Robin's. She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder.

They stood in silence for a while.

"Kind of reminds me of our previous boat trip, doesn't it?" Robin finally asked.

He received no response. Looking over, he realized that Lucina had fallen asleep. Her breathing was regular, and was snoring at a barely audible level.

"REALLY weak to alcohol." Robin chuckled. "Guess it's up to me to bring her to bed."

The tactician scooped her up and began to descend the stairs. In order to reach the bedrooms, he had to pass by the commons area, where there were still some shepherds drinking and having fun.

"Nya ha! There he is!" Henry laughed and pointed in his direction.

"Where have you been all evening, Bubbles?" Gaius asked. "It's not too late, come have a drink!"

"I'll be right there!" Robin promised. "But first…" He made a head motion, gesturing to the princess that was asleep in his arms.

"Right, right." Gaius immediately nodded and turned back to the others, still in a drunken stupor. "The old ball and chain needs to get attended to first."

"Gaius!" Maribelle exclaimed, her face flushed with color. "That is not a proper way to refer to a young maiden!"

"Sorry ma'am!" Gaius took another large gulp of mead. "Won't happen again."

"Much better." Maribelle nodded curtly.

The others sitting around chuckled a little, and surprisingly, Robin saw a grin on Maribelle's face as well.

'It's been a long campaign.' he thought to himself as he approached his room. 'Feels like only yesterday Maribelle was treating Gaius with disgust and contempt. But something definitely happened between the two. Nowadays, they seem closer to being best friends than enemies. If they weren't already engaged to others, I'd even suspect they got together themselves!'

After placing Lucina in bed and covering her up, he was rewarded with a murmur of contentment from the sleeping princess.

Robin smiled at her sleeping figure, before retreating out of the room and returning to the commons area.

When he sat down, he realized just how few people were left. Furthermore, the gender ratio drifted significantly from the expected fifty-fifty. In the entire room, Sully and Maribelle were the only ones still sitting, and it was clear that Sully was almost at her limit.

"Only the heavy hitters are left." Stahl explained, after seeing Robin's confusion. "Everyone else either had had enough or became too drunk to continue. Lissa and Olivia had an especially hard time."

"You know what they be saying!" Gregor laughed. "Tiny people can't be holding down the drinks!"

"That is something that I recollect being mentioned by the adults in the future." Laurent said. Although his face was flushed, his words were not slurred. "However, this hypothesis proves to include a myriad of substantial flaws, considering it doesn't apply to the likes of Sir Frederick or mister Henry. The former seems to struggle more than anticipated, whereas the latter still seems to be fine after indulging the entire evening."

"Nya ha!" Henry laughed. "Us Plegians are quite good at drinking, really. Tharja's even better than I am, actually. But she's never really liked social gatherings. The only reason I know she's better at drinking is because Robin and I would be the ones to drink with her, in private. Speaking of, Robin is actually the best drinker out of all of us. No matter how much, he still seems to be fine. The only time Tharja was able to beat him was when Robin was in extreme distress about the former King Gangrel decapitating some what he believed to be innocent Plegians.

Meanwhile, other shepherds were also having conversations simultaneously.

"I don't get it!" Sully complained, still resting her head on the table. She pointed at Stahl accusingly. "I swear! This motherfucker has a bottomless pit for a stomach!"

"She tried to outdrink her hubby." Gaius chuckled. "Only Maribelle was able to accomplish that. Well… Tharja and Lissa too, I guess. But they won by default. Lon'qu and Libra don't drink. What killjoys."

"Can it!" Sully roared at the ex convict.

"Honestly, I don't understand how you guys are still drinking." Chrom mumbled. Just like Sully, he was resting his head in his arms. "I swear, alcohol has no effect on any of you."

"Oi, is nothing!" Gregor laughed. "Gregor just getting started!"

Robin chuckled and poured himself some mead. Honestly, he enjoyed the taste immensely. He nodded in approval, and began to down the drink with vigour.

"Ay!" Gregor laughed excitedly. "Finally, we are having someone who can still drink! Come! Gregor have contest with you!"

"Are you sure?" Robin chuckled. "You've already had quite a few drinks. It won't even be a contest!"

"Oi, oi!" Gregor protested. "You are making with the understimating of Gregor! Gregor show you what he made of!"

"Alright," Robin shrugged. "You asked for it."

The remaining shepherds that weren't plastered all gathered around the two and cheered as the pair guzzled down mug after mug of mead and ale.

"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" Vaike chanted as he pounded on a table with his fists.

Robin and Gregor drank mug after mug, slamming the empty ones on the table when they were done. Gaius had a silly grin on his face as he refilled Gregor's mug every time he was done, and Henry did the same for Robin. They had each finished six mugs so far. Considering how much Gregor had already drank that night, it was already an incredible feat. However, Robin didn't even seem any different from when he first started drinking.

"Heh heh!" Gregor let out a little laughter while Gaius refilled his mug for the seventh time. "Gregor not be having so much of the fun for long, long time! Skinny tactician really can drink!"

"You're not too shabby yourself!" Robin complemented. "But it looks like you're running out of energy. Your words are starting to slur, big boy."

"Gregor is fine!" Gregor declared, even though deep down, he knew he was beginning to lose. "Can go on for another hour!"

"Well then you might as well admit defeat now." Robin taunted. "Because I could do this all day!"

Gregor guffawed as Gaius returned with another drink. He instantly began to down it, and Robin imitated this action as soon as Henry got back. A couple more drinks later, Gregor finally had enough.

"Ok, ok, Gregor yield." He finally declared, resting his head on the table. "Robin very good at the drinking."

"I told you, it wasn't a fair contest." Robin chuckled, still feeling alert enough. "Maybe some other time, we'll compete when we're both completely sober. The result may not have ended so far in my favor."

"Next time," Gregor agreed. "Next time."

"Oh man, he's gonna end up with the largest hangover tomorrow." Stahl noted. "Vaike, help me get him to his room."

"All right, fine." Vaike conceded as he shakily walked over. "It's… late anyways. Time to go to bed."

"Sleep well!" Robin wished everyone as the shepherds began to disperse. Soon, everyone was gone and inside their rooms. Robin was the only one up, not counting whoever was navigating the ship.

"You stink!" he could hear Nowi exclaim from within her room. "Why do you always have to drink so much? You know I hate that smell!"

"Oi, Gregor sorry. Gregor sorry." Robin heard the Hero's muffled reply. "Gregor sleep on floor tonight."

Robin chuckled. He poured himself one last drink and ventured above deck once again. He made his way to the back of the ship, where Anna was busy navigating the ship.

"So, has the festivities died down?" Anna asked as soon as he approached. "It sounds much quieter down there."

"Yeah." Robin confirmed. "Pretty much everyone's gone to bed by now. Are you sure you're fine with sailing the ship by yourself?"

"It's fine, and it'll only be for half the night." Anna replied. "And besides, this means no one would say a thing about me sleeping in tomorrow. Thank goodness we're on the trip too, we don't really have any responsibilities to take care of out here. Although, I'm really happy that you care for me." She turned to face him and gave him a smile.

"Well, who is taking over your shift the second half of the night?" Robin asked out of curiosity before taking another sip of his mead.

"Lon'qu." Anna simply stated. "Which gives me some peace of mind. He always takes these things seriously. There's little to no chance he won't be on time for the shift swap. If anything, he'll be a little early. Although, I AM a little worried. Is he able to handle things? I know he's still not completely recovered."

"I'm sure he'll be alright." Robin shrugged. "He has the constant attention of Lissa anyways. There's no way he won't make a full recovery. And he was healthy enough to help us load the ships."

"I guess you're right." Anna agreed.

"So... do you drink?" Robin asked.

"Not really." Anna admitted. "I've never really liked the taste of beer.

"Well what about mead then?" Robin asked as he offered his mug to Anna. "Here, try a sip."

Anna blinked a few times really fast. 'Is this… happening?' she wondered to herself. There was no way she would let such a rare opportunity pass by.

"Sure, give it here." Anna reached for the mug. She raised it to her lips and drank. Surprisingly, it tasted a lot better, in her opinion, than what she was used to on her frequent travels. And although drinking from the same mug as Robin was not quite as intimate as what Lucina probably got, at this point, Anna would take it. Beggars can't be choosers, after all.

"What did you think?" Robin asked as he took the mug back.

"It was pretty good." Anna smiled. "Thanks. I really needed that."

"No problem." Robin took a sip. "Well, I'd better turn in for the night as well. When you're done, if you want, there's still some left in the kegs. Help yourself to some before bed."

"Yeah." Anna replied as Robin began to walk down towards the rooms. She pulled her jacket tighter around her as a sudden gust of cold wind made her shiver.

Now that the sun had set, it was considerably more cold, but Robin barely even noticed. In fact, he actually rather liked the change in temperature. He leisurely made his way downstairs and cleaned up after all the shepherds' mess. It took a little more time than he had initially expected, but finally, he made his way towards his room.

Just as Robin opened the door, the ship suddenly rocked violently for a split second, causing him to almost fall on his face. Fortunately, he caught himself with his arms before doing so, but it created enough of a noise to cause a disturbance in the room. Lucina rolled over in bed, clearing not fast asleep anymore, but not completely awake either.

"Sorry…" Robin muttered to her, although he doubted Lucina could hear him.

He changed his clothes and climbed into bed as well. Not soon after climbing in bed, he felt the sensation of Lucina pressing her nose into his back.

"Did I wake you?" Robin whispered. "Sorry."

"...cold…" Lucina murmured.

"What?" Robin shifted his body slightly and looked over his shoulder. Even with the room mostly dark, the small bit of moonlight that snuck through the window enabled him to see that Lucina was slightly shivering.

"...cold…" Lucina whined as she nuzzled her face into Robin's back. "I'm… cold."

Hearing this, Robin shifted some more until he was completely facing her. He wrapped on arm around her midsection, over her arm and covered the back of her head with his hand. His other arm snuck through the space between the pillow and Lucina's shoulder and neck. "Better?" he whispered into her ear.

Lucina didn't respond, but he could feel the movement of her head, nodding as she shifted around so that she was as comfortable as possible.

Robin smiled. After a few more moments, the activities of the day finally caught up to him, and he felt himself slipping into the realm of dreams.

**Afterwards…**

The next few days didn't see much activity. The shepherds kept themselves busy and entertained as much as possible while they sailed. The fliers among the shepherds instantly became the most popular people as one of the most exciting activities was flying around the open ocean. Besides those who were afraid of heights, such as Gregor, it was a pretty exciting activity. The feeling of the sun on your back and the wind in your face while you soared over the open ocean is not easily replicable.

One extremely popular topic among the shepherds was what they would do when they got back to Ylisse. After all, there were so many of them that were looking to get married in the very near future. Chrom had agreed to give all of the shepherds some time off once they got back to the garrison so that everyone could officially become married. However, then came the topic of who would get married first.

Cynthia had very innocently suggested that they should go in descending order based on who loved their significant other the most, which lead to some extremely interesting arguments. Ricken and Kellam didn't have anything to worry about, and so they simply sat around laughing to each other at their friends' dramatics. These arguments lasted for several days, as the shepherds fought over who got the first spot, and in turn, who didn't deserve the last spot. The matter was finally resolved when Robin suggested that they get married in the order that proposals happened. He hated to kill off the other shepherds' fun, but decided that it was better not to drive everyone apart.

Still, even after Robin's intervention, it was still a hot topic for the future generation shepherds. After all, they were one of the few that were able to witness the paradoxical event of their birth parents finally tying the knot for the first time. The only other way is if they were born out of wedlock, but usually such relationships never ended up in marriage.

While Lucina secretly hoped that she and Robin could also get married when they got back to Ylisse, she understood it was not very likely. Still, she was able to enjoy spending most of the time in the following days in close proximity to Robin. He didn't have much work to do, and she was unable to train on board the ship. As a result, they had plenty of time to talk and grow closer to one another.

Finally, the day came where the shepherds docked in Regna Ferox again. Flavia welcomed them home with open arms, and threw them a homecoming party. This time, the shepherds had to maintain their appearance, and everyone only drank as much as they were comfortable with. People like Lissa, Lucina, Ricken, Donnel and Olivia settled for non alcoholic beverages and helped serve drinks to the others instead.

The mood was not as great as a normal Feroxi party, as noted by Olivia and Lon'qu, but Robin found it reasonable. Many of the Feroxi probably hadn't gotten over the fact that Basilio was gone. However, this was no reason for him to not enjoy the party to the fullest. And he could tell Chrom was thinking the exact same thing.

After staying at the capital for one night, Chrom bid Flavia farewell and the shepherds began to march back to Ylisstol. Although the shepherds hadn't needed to march is quite some time, their spirits were high as they completed the home stretch.

When they finally reached Ylisstol, it became apparent that they would need to renovate the shepherds' garrison. With the addition of all the future children, there would not be enough housing space. While many of the shepherds could now share a room with their spouse or future spouse, there was also the matter of training equipment, dining hall space, as well as other considerations.

For the time being, Chrom found a way to house as many people as possible in the castle. As a result, the shepherds were a little bit split as half of them lived in the garrison and the other half temporarily lived in the guest rooms at the castle. For now, though, Robin just wanted to settle back in his library and take a nice long rest. He decided to do exactly that right after dinner. Right after he settled back into the room, he realized that Lucina had followed him in.

"You're not staying at the castle?" he asked her.

Lucina shook her head. "I'd rather stay here. With you."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked. "You'll have more sleeping room at the castle."

"I'm sure." Lucina insisted. "I'm used to it by now, after all."

"All right then, I don't mind." Robin shrugged. "By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you."

"What… what is it?" Lucina's breath hitched for a second. He couldn't be about to ask what she wanted him to ask, right?

"It's about your friends." Robin replied, causing Lucina's heart to sink. Although still important to her, it wasn't quite what she had wanted him to ask her. "How many of them are we still missing?"

Lucina mentally counted them. "Let's see… there's Inigo, Severa… and Owain. So… three, I guess. I hope we didn't leave them in Valm."

"Yeah, me too." Robin nodded. "Although, I'm sure they'll show up in no time."

"Yeah, I hope so," Lucina agreed.

"Why don't we get some rest?" Robin suggested. "We have a few busy days coming up. Multiple weddings to attend."

"Yeah." Lucina laughed as she climbed into bed. "It's rather hard to believe. I'm about to witness some of my friends' parents getting married."

Robin soon joined her, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he fell asleep in the shepherds garrison, the first place that felt like home since he had lost his memories. However, so much had changed. He had regained some of his memories, and probably most importantly, the mysterious Marth that he had previously fawned over is now his girlfriend. He was quite content as he fell asleep.

Life was good.

The next few days were extremely busy for all of the shepherds. Chrom found himself having to deal with a mountain of paperwork that had piled up during the Valm campaign. Sumia immediately went to go check on baby Lucina, and to her relief, the small princess had been doing quite well despite not having her parents around. The maids in the castle had done their job. Cynthia was also quite excited to meet baby Lucina, although Cynthia often didn't know what she should refer to the baby as. Sometimes she would call the baby 'big sister', and sometimes she'd call the baby 'baby sister'. Regardless, Sumia found it hilarious to watch.

The rest of the shepherds weren't exactly lounging around, either. Many of them had weddings to prepare for, and they had agreed, by Chrom's request, to keep their weddings on a smaller scale. The shepherds who either weren't getting married, or had already gotten married were busy helping prepare for the weddings. They were shopping for food, buying clothes, decorating the garrison and more.

Robin found himself busy in the kitchen for most of his time on most of the days. Although he received some help from some of the more competent shepherds, everyone had made it clear that it would be for the best if Robin was the chef for each and every one of the weddings. Robin didn't mind cooking, which was why he didn't bat an eyelash at the suggestion. It gave him a legitimate enough reason to not think about military tactics or politics for a few days.

The weddings, although small in scale, were still exciting. The shepherds ate and drank as they celebrated the union of pairing after pairing.

Although extremely tiring, the next few days passed in the blink of an eye. Robin now found himself collapsed on his bed, finally finished with the last round of cooking. He had decided to retire a little early, and the rest of the shepherds were still eating and drinking. He felt happy for his friends, but sometimes, he did need a break from all of the commotion.

There was a light knock on his door.

"Come in!" Robin called.

The door opened, and Chrom walked in. He turned to make sure no one was following him, before closing the door with as little commotion as possible.

"How'd it go?" Robin asked.

"Great." Chrom replied. "Frederick just returned from meeting with him. He's delivered the supplies so we should be good for another couple of weeks."

"Fantastic." Robin nodded. "And he's recovering fine?"

"Yeah." Chrom sighed. "Still injured, but he'll make a full recovery with the medical supplies we've provided. He'll be ready for action in a week or so."

"Good. He's going to be vital in our plans." Robin said, feeling satisfied.

"But there's more." Chrom continued. "According to Frederick's report, there's been signs of Risen at the Ruins of Time."

"The Ruins of Time?" Robin asked, having never heard of the place.

"It's on the northern Ylissean border." Chrom explained. "I just heard of it as well. Apparently within the ruins there is a legacy of the Divine Dragon. It may be the final gemstone that we're looking for. And although it's only a possibility, we don't really have any other leads. In addition, we can help the civilians in the area by removing the Risen."

"Yeah." Robin agreed. "When do we plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow." Chrom sighed. "I'm going to have to break the bad news to everybody."

"At least you waited until all of the weddings were done." Robin chuckled.

**Next Day, Ruins of Time…**

"Here it is." Chrom declared as the shepherds made it to the Ruins of Time. "Naga, we can see all of the Risen crawling around the shrine from all the way over here."

"Well, it seems our work is cut out for us." Robin shrugged. "Time to find the treasure the old fashioned way." He turned around to address the shepherds. "Listen up! We need to comb the ruins up ahead for what could possibly be the last gemstone to the Fire Emblem. I've checked out the opponents' formation, or rather lack thereof. These Risen, although well equipped, are not commanded by a leader. So you can expect them to act irrationally. This can potentially make them act without regard to their allies. As long as we all act with absolute caution, we should have no problem in dealing with them. It's just like any other Risen cleanup operation that we've done a long time ago."

The shepherds voiced their understanding, and they began to execute their standard front to back fighting formation. The heavily armored shepherds led the charge, followed closely by the other melee fighters. The mages and bow users were at the rear, firing off spells and shooting arrows at the Risen from a distance.

The Risen acted without regard to anything except killing whatever was in front of them. This meant that they, more often than not, put themselves in situations where their lives were at risk. But they didn't care, or rather, they weren't capable of caring. The only thing that mattered to the brainless undead was doing as much damage as possible to their opponents. This made the shepherds' vanguard's job a little more difficult, as they were forced to defend themselves from endless barrage of assaults. However, the ranged shepherds were having a field day. They had openings left and right to pick off their opponents, many of which would have never occurred if their opponents had even a sliver of self preservation on their minds.

It didn't take too long to clear out a large area of the Risen. Because they evaporated into dark colored smoke when they died, there was a stark difference between an area covered with Risen and an area they had already cleared. Especially since the water flowing in the channels around the shrine were unnaturally clear and pristine. They were making good time. No one had suffered any major injuries yet, and the Risen were being mowed down systematically.

Suddenly, a large beam of light struck the center of the shrine, instantly killing the Risen standing there, and knocking away any that were a slight distance away. The light became blinding for a second, before revealing a bluish green colored eye. The shepherds had to look away and cower behind their shields, Robin found Lucina and covered them both with his cloak. Finally, the light dissipated in a shockwave that killed a few more Risen.

"What… what was that?" Lissa asked after the dust had settled.

"Light magic." Libra replied. "In both Ylisse and Valm, the number of people who can utilize it is extremely low. And the number of people who can create light tomes are even fewer. And there hasn't been much incentive to learn it. Most people who have an affinity for it would rather just learn how to use staves, which is arguably a much more effective use of their abilities. It is a rather weak type of magic… at least when cast on humans. However, I imagine that it would be effective against these undead monsters. Even the clergymen refuse to do any research on how to create such tomes."

"Look!" Nowi pointed towards the center of the shrine.

A little girl wearing a cloak that looked somewhat similar to Robin's own slowly got up and cautiously looked at her surroundings. She couldn't have been older than Cynthia. There was a light blue colored tome in her hand. "P...Papa!? Mama!? Where are you?"

Several of the Risen nearby took notice of the girl and began lumbering towards her.

"Ah! It's you guys!" The girl cried out in alarm as she dodged from an axe strike with almost inhuman reflexes. She flipped away from her assailant as she seemed to reach her hand into an invisible pocket in the middle of the air. Instantly, she maneuvered behind the Risen Warrior and slashed it in the back. The Risen instantly exploded into black vapor.

Many of the other Risen began to charge her. As she fought, Robin seemed to realize that in her hands was either a purple shortsword, or a really long purple dagger. However, with how short the girl herself was, she was wielding it like a one handed sword. She began to dart around, expertly dodging the Risen's attacks while slashing with her own weapon. Robin's eyes widened as he realized the similarities between the girl and Lucina. Her hair color… her fighting stance… even the way she chose to dodge around her opponents' swings seemed identical to a certain future princess.

"The eye…" Chrom breathed, seeming to reach the same conclusion. "This girl… she must have come from the future."

"Shepherds!" Robin declared. "Fight our way towards the girl! We need to get to her before the Risen do!"

The girl's ears seemed to pick up on Robin's voice. "Papa?" she wondered aloud. She scanned the battlefield, ducking and weaving away from the Risen's attacks as she did so. She finally was able to make eye contact with Robin, and instantly recognized him.

"Papa!" The girl exclaimed. She began to try and fight his way towards Robin. "Get out of the way you big uglies! I need to get to my Papa!"

"What!?" Chrom wondered aloud incredulously. He turned to Lucina. "I didn't say anything about Cynthia, but this is ridiculous. How many children have you neglected to mention to me?"

He stopped when he realized that there was a look of shock on Lucina's face as well. "I… I don't know who that is father!" Lucina protested.

"What!?" Chrom couldn't believe it. "Then who is she!?"

"I suppose we'll have to ask her ourselves!" Robin exclaimed as he fired a Thoron bolt at the Risen, clearing some space in front of the shepherds.

"I suppose so." Chrom sighed. "What a headache."

It took a little bit of time, but eventually the shepherds fought their way over to the girl. By then, most of the Risen had been cleared out from the shrine. Although they hadn't made their way all the way around the shrine, the Risen from the far side had charged towards them, so the shrine was all but empty at this point.

When the girl approached the shepherds. She put her sword and tome away and ran towards the location where Chrom, Robin, Sumia and Lucina were gathered. "Papa!" she exclaimed as she ran with open arms.

Chrom flinched, expecting the worst. He awkwardly opened his arms, expecting a hug from another future daughter. However, the girl instead charges into Robin's unprepared arms, making Chrom look a little bit foolish in the process.

"Oh Papa!" The girl exclaimed. "I finally found you!" she took a good look at his face. "Oh my goodness! The air here certainly agrees with you! You look at least a decade younger!"

"M-me?" Robin asked, not quite believing his ears. "I'M your father?"

"Of course, silly!" The girl giggled. "Who else would I be talking to?"

Robin took note of the Exalt's brand in the girl's right eye. He snuck a look at Chrom who was glaring daggers at him. Robin chuckled nervously. "Uh… are you sure you have the right person? You're not making a mistake, are you?"

"Why are you acting so weird Papa?" The girl giggled. "It's me, Morgan! Light of your life, Daddy's little girl, and all that. Don't you remember?"

"Who is your mother, do you remember?" Sumia asked the girl.

The girl put an index finger to her lip in contemplation, before keeling over and clutching her head in her hands. She screamed in pain from the headache.

"Woah!" Robin knelt down and comforted her. "Take it easy. Don't try to force anything."

"I… I don't remember!" Morgan sobbed. "I can't remember my own Mama!"

Nearby, Lucina had her mouth covered with both hands in shock. There were too many things she didn't understand. If this girl truly was Robin's daughter, then that meant that Robin had a child with someone. That hurt her enough, but on second glance, she realized the girl looked like it could be her sister, and she didn't know how she felt about that. Did Robin have a child with Lissa? But the girl looked nothing like her aunt. Either way, she felt that her heart was about to break.

"Wait!" Morgan declared. "I remember something!"

"What is it?" Robin asked.

"My mother… she taught me how to fight with a sword! Yes, I know that!" Morgan exclaimed. "And she had a very special sword too! It looks kind of like mine!" She pulled out the shortsword she was fighting with earlier. Upon closer inspection, Robin realized that it looked like a smaller version of Falchion, only instead of silver and gold, it was purple and black. And instead of the tear shaped hole near the hilt, there were six smaller eye shaped ones.

"Does it… by chance look like this one?" Chrom asked, drawing Falchion.

Morgan got up and looked at it. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "It was exactly like that one. Identical, even!"

Suddenly, she grew a little suspicious. "Wait… if you have her sword…" her face paled. "Oh no! What happened to my Mama!?"

Chrom, Robin and Sumia all looked at each other. Chrom had an accusing glare, Robin with a scared look, and Sumia with a silly grin plastered across her face. The three stood in absolute silence for a second or two as the implications sank in.

"EEEEEEEE!" Sumia shrieked, finally breaking the silence and tackling the girl in a hug. "Oh look at her Chrom! She's so precious! Look at our granddaughter!"

"G-granddaughter!?" Morgan asked in shock. "Are you… are you grandma? B-but… you look so young, grandma!"

"Yep!" Sumia was almost crying tears of joy. "I have to be the youngest looking grandma on the planet!" She gestured towards Lucina. "C'mon dear, don't you want to meet your daughter?"

Morgan broke the embrace and looked over to where Sumia was gesturing. Seeing Lucina, she ran over to her. "Mama? Mama!"

Lucina was still numb with shock. She didn't know what to think. She was a mother? But that would mean this girl had to come back from the future in yet another timeline. And why couldn't Morgan remember her then? There were still so many questions in her mind.

But then she realized what was probably the most important detail to her. If she was Morgan's mother, and Robin was Morgan's father, then she was THEIR child. It was literally everything she could have wanted. Not only did she have a child with Robin, but this all but assures her that the two of them had gotten married in at least one timeline in the future. And if that's the case, then it was possible for the two of them to get married in THIS timeline. Lucina returned Morgan's hug happily.

"So I'VE got a question." Chrom shook his head. "...Dear… tactician… How is it possible that YOUR daughter is MY daughter's daughter?"

"Uh…" Robin had a look on his face that read 'please don't kill me'.

Chrom sighed. "I'm just messing with you. I know you don't have a choice in the matter if they come back from the future to see you. I just wasn't expecting to become a grandfather so soon… but at least it makes Sumia so happy."

"Oh Chrom!" Sumia exclaimed, as if on cue. "Isn't it wonderful? We have a GRANDDAUGHTER now!"

"Yeah, yeah." Chrom grumbled. "Let's just comb the ruins and go home. This is all a great big headache."

Robin quickly nodded. And the two of them went to go help the other shepherds, who had long defeated the rest of the Risen and was beginning to search for the treasure.

Meanwhile, Lucina and Sumia lavished Morgan with attention and affection. Even considering all of the weddings that had recently happened, neither of them had looked quite so happy in a long, long time.

**Morgan: HP: 80% Str: 55% Mag: 80% Skl: 65% Spd: 65% Lck: 25% Def: 25% Res: 50%**

**Class: Tactician**

**Age: 12**


	39. Five Gemstones

**Ruins of Time…**

As it turned out, the "Legacy of Naga" was not the fifth gemstone. After scouring the entire shrine, the only thing close to resembling a treasure was a vial of what appeared to be a drop of translucent golden liquid. The shepherds had almost missed it, and if it weren't for the fact that Vaike accidentally bumped his elbow against a hidden magic sigil, they would have missed it entirely.

Thankfully, the shepherds' resident scholar, Miriel, was able to trigger the sigil and activate a sequence that brought up an eloquent glass case that had apparently been stored in a hidden compartment just under the floor tiles of the center of the shrine. The previously indistinct tiles circling the shrine had suddenly begun to glow as well. Under some investigation by Miriel, she was able to identify the language as Altean, and after a long period of intensive investigation, was able to piece out that the message said something about the altar holding the "Tear of Naga". Whomever consumed said tear was said to become blessed by Naga to have the strength of a thousand men.

Things instantly became awkward after that. No one knew what to do with it. Whomever drank it would indubitably have a surge in power that would leave the rest of the shepherds in the dust. At least, that's what all of them presumed.

Robin had made the first suggestion that Chrom take it, since he was their leader. Chrom had instantly refused. He felt that he was already in a decent position, and the tear should be given to someone who could make use of it better.

Sumia had then suggested they give it to Frederick, so that he could better protect her husband. And although Frederick was more than fine with those arrangements, he felt that he didn't deserve such generosity for doing absolutely nothing. Furthermore, he insisted that he could not be awake and on guard at all times, so having more capable people to defend Chrom was more important. He actually agreed that Chrom should be the one to have it, but his liege said no, so what more could he say?

Many other shepherds were suggested, but they all refused. Vaike said he didn't need some sort of enhancement drug in order to fight well. He would train of his volition and get better that way. Lon'qu said something extremely similar.

Gaius turned down the offer, saying that he was an ex felon. There was no point in giving something so valuable to someone like him; he was just happy to be able to clear his name by helping the shepherds.

Lissa was going to accept it, but was convinced by Maribelle to also turn it down, citing that it was the noble thing to do, since everyone else was giving the opportunity to the others.

Panne and Nowi didn't take it, being unsure that it would even have the intended effects on them, since they weren't human. Tiki assured them it would still work, but even then, they still turned Chrom down.

Cordelia also refused, because if Chrom wasn't going to take it, there was no reason she deserved it either.

Gregor said he would rather just get paid a larger salary, and also didn't take it.

Neither Sully or Stahl wanted it, for fear that it would pull one of them so far ahead of the other that they would no longer be able to train together.

Even Ricken refused it, saying that he was an adult, just like everyone else. And if no one else is taking it, then he would abstain from it as well.

When it finally came around to Miriel, so also passed, stating that according to the shrine, it would increase the drinker's STRENGTH. Although her translation may not have been perfect, if this was the case, then there was no need for a bookworm like her to be the one to drink. No one could really argue with that.

Then came the future children. Lucina was the one to decide that probably one of the original generation of shepherds take it, since they were, first of all, their parents, and, second of all, the heroes in their childhood. There's a chance that the shepherds of their timeline had also stumbled upon Naga's Tear. And if they took something that was meant for their parents, it could possibly cause an even more premature death.

Everyone was still scratching their heads, trying to figure out what to do with it.

"You could always give it to me." Anna suggested. "I'll be able to find someone that's willing to buy it. We could stock up our treasury by selling this one item!"

"No!" Chrom, Robin, Lucina and Tiki all exclaimed simultaneously.

"That is one thing we are NOT going to do." Chrom shook his head. "This is a treasure left by Naga herself. If none of us will use it, at least it means that no one could use it for ill purposes. I can only imagine the devastation it would cause if the Grimleal got their hands on it."

"I think we all forgot someone!" Lissa gasped. "Robin! We should let Robin have it!"

"That's not a bad idea." Sumia nodded. "I think everyone is fine with that arrangement."

"Strategically, it would make sense." Frederick nodded. "A couple of years ago, I would never entrust something so precious to someone like him, but he has proved to be trustworthy through and through. Furthermore, a boost in his power could mean he would require less time investment in his physical and combat training, and more time on devising strategies to keep everyone safe. It would be to the benefit of all of us."

The shepherds all voiced their consent. What Frederick was saying had a lot of truth to it, after all.

"Wait, I don't need it!" Robin protested. "Honest! Someone else should have it."

"But you're the one everyone WANTS to have it." Lissa smiled. "C'mon! Just take it!"

"Even if you don't drink it, at least keep it safe." Chrom shrugged. "Because I sure as hell can't ensure the safety of a small, fragile vial while fighting, and our regular storage convoy isn't safe because Anna could secretly sell it off to someone and not tell anyone about it."

"Hey!" Anna protested. "I would TOTALLY not do that! Well… if the price was high enough… all right, fine! No objections!"

Chrom chuckled. "But still, you should consider using it for yourself. As Frederick said, it would be for the benefit of everyone if you were the one to use it."

Robin sighed. He took the vial from Chrom, opened it, and brought his face closer. He instantly put the cap on it and began to retch. He was beginning to feel similar to the sensation he felt at the top of the Mila Tree. Only this time, everything felt much more intense. He keeled over, struggling to hold in his lunch.

"If that's how it's gonna be, I think I'm GLAD I'm not the one that has to drink it." Lissa giggled. "Just look at him!"

"My bet is that it doesn't taste sweet at all." Gaius absentmindedly shrugged as he tossed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. "Sorry Bubbles. Take one for the team."

Lucina knelt down next to him and placed her hand on his back. She continued to look at him with concern. Morgan soon followed her mother's actions and squatted down next to Robin as well. "Papa? Papa what's wrong?"

"It's just… as soon as I got a whiff of it…" Robin gasped. "...it's horrible…"

Morgan took the vial from Robin's grasp and uncapped it. Cautiously, she waved her hand over the vial, towards her nose. Morgan scrunched up her face and handed the vial back to him. "Oh yeah, that's definitely real awful… I can understand why you reacted like that. But… now that I took some time to think about it… a SMALL... itsie bitsie part of me actually thinks it smells pretty good."

"All right, you've piqued my interest." Gaius chuckled. He got up off the ledge he was sitting on and walked over. "Let me have a go."

Morgan obediently handed the vial to the sweet-toothed thief, and Gaius took a smell as well.

"Huh?" Gaius made a puzzled expression. "Are you two trying to pull one over me? This thing doesn't smell like a thing."

"It's probably because all of the candies you've eaten!" Cordelia chuckled. "It'll interfere with your sense of smell."

"No, I'm serious! It really doesn't smell like anything!" Gaius protested. He held the vial towards his wife. "Here, you try!"

Cordelia rolled her eyes and did just that. However, she was surprised by her husband's honesty. "Hmm… you're right. I really don't smell anything."

"Really?" Nowi asked. "Then how come it got such a large reaction from Robin? He's not faking it again, is he? Gimme!."

Nowi sniffed it, and it left a confused expression on her face. She capped the vial and handed it back to Robin. "That's weird… it doesn't smell like nothing… but it doesn't smell bad either. It smells… almost pleasant. But the smell is really weak."

"Quite an enigma." Miriel furrowed her eyebrows. "Perhaps this requires further investigation."

"Whatever." Lissa stretched. "Now that we found out that this isn't the gemstone we're looking for, why don't we head back to Ylisstol?"

"Yeah." Chrom agreed. "This whole trip has been a wild goose chase. And we don't have any leads on where the final gemstone is either. I guess it's back to square one."

Robin placed the Tear of Naga into an Astral Plane, and the shepherds began to march back to Ylisstol.

**That Evening…**

The shepherds took the addition of Morgan fairly well. The original generation was so used to it by this point that she was just another child that came from the future. The future children, although surprised that Lucina is a mother now, could understand, given that they had traveled back in time themselves. In fact, besides Robin and Lucina, the two people who were most affected by Morgan's appearance were Chrom and Sumia. Chrom was understandably fazed by the fact that he was suddenly a grandfather, even though he was barely into his twenties. Sumia, on the other hand, was overcome with joy that she had a granddaughter, for the very same reason.

Surprisingly, Morgan was taking the truth quite well, considering how young she was. After all, from her perspective, if her Papa told her she had come from the future, then she must have come from the future. It would also explain why he looked so young as well.

That night, Morgan sat with her parents at dinner. She had a plethora of tales to tell about her time with Robin, but strangely, she couldn't remember much about Lucina as her mother. This made Lucina feel quite troubled, as the possibility that Morgan actually isn't her child began to creep slowly into her mind. None of her friends had forgotten anything about their parents, so why was it that Morgan doesn't remember her mother?

Regardless, everyone else was convinced that Lucina is the mother of Morgan. After all, she bore the very same brand that Lucina had, only in the opposite eye. And although it slightly troubled them, she bore the Fell Dragon's brand on one of her hands. It was also on the hand opposite to Robin's, which solidified the fact in everyone's mind but Lucina's that Morgan belonged to both herself and Robin. And it wasn't like Lucina disbelieved it. She just had a small bit of doubt in her mind.

Cynthia was surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, attached to Morgan. She had previously been the youngest person in the group, but the addition of Morgan removed that title for her. Furthermore, she was now technically an aunt. And because the two of them were still relatively similar in age, Cynthia had taken it upon herself to befriend her niece, and show her around camp. She had burst into Robin and Lucina's tent, excited about everything that she had just experienced, from the Pegasus stables to the training grounds.

"Papa!" Morgan exclaimed as she ran up to Robin, tackling her father in a hug. "This place is so exciting! The pegasus feathers are so soft! I've never seen anything like them before!"

"I'm glad you're having fun." Robin chuckled. "Are you staying here in our tent tonight? We'll have to find you a bedroll then."

"Nuh uh." Morgan shook her head. "I'm going to go sleep in aunt Cynthia's tent!"

Robin looked at Cynthia, who gave him a cheeky smile and held up two fingers in the shape of a V.

"Hmm…" Robin gave Cynthia a look.

Thinking that she sensed her father's disapproval, she quickly gave her father puppy dog eyes. "Please papa? Can I?"

"Yeah. Sure." Robin nodded. "If that's what you want."

"Really?" Morgan's face lit up. "Yay! Thanks papa!"

"Make sure you don't cause her any trouble then." Lucina added.

"I'll be extra careful mama!" Morgan exclaimed, before hugging her as well. "I love you too mama!"

Someone cleared their throat from outside the tent.

"Come in." Robin called.

"My gratitude." Libra bowed as he entered. "I thought I might be able to find young Morgan here. I came to return her tome."

The clergyman presented a blue-colored tome to Morgan.

"Oh hey, my book!" Morgan took it from him. "Thanks!"

"No, thank you." Libra smiled. "It helped me quite a lot."

"Why'd you have her tome?" Robin asked.

"I was curious about the nature of it." Libra explained. "And upon closer inspection, I have confirmed my suspicions."

"What is it?" Lucina asked.

"That is in fact the holy tome Genesis." Libra said with a serious expression. "It is known more commonly by Ylisseans as the Book of Naga."

"The Book of Naga?" Lucina gasped. "And Morgan is able to use it?"

"I'm confused." Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "How come I've never heard of it before?"

"Genesis is a legendary holy tome that is one of the treasures of Ylisse." Libra explained. "Much like Exalt Chrom's Falchion, Genesis is a weapon blessed by Naga herself. However, it isn't as widely known among the populace, because there hasn't been a mage capable of wielding it for many centuries. Even the late Exalt Emmeryn, Naga bless her soul, who had the proper affinities for wielding light magic could not bring forth the magic contained within its pages."

"And you're saying that Morgan is an expert on light magic?" Lucina asked.

"Hey, that's pretty impressive, kiddo!" Robin patted Morgan on the head affectionately.

"Are you proud of me, papa?" Morgan giggled.

"Yeah." Robin smiled. "Very." Morgan beamed at his response.

"Wh-what about her sword then?" Lucina asked. "Do you know anything about her sword?"

"I'm afraid not." Libra shook his head. "Although, by the looks of it, it seems to be a Plegian artifact. The mark of Grima on it seems to prove as much."

"I thought as much." Lucina murmured. "That's exactly what I was worried about."

"Watch it!" Cynthia exclaimed. "Robin's right here!"

"W-wait!" Lucina hurriedly waved her hands in front of her face. "I… I didn't mean it like that! It just came out without thinking! I didn't mean to bad mouth your home country!" She snuck a peek at him, expecting a disapproving look, but instead, Robin only looked confused.

Behind Lucina, Cynthia made eye contact with Robin. She pointed at her sister and rolled her eyes, as if to say 'see, I told you so'.

"What are you even talking about?" Robin asked. "What does being worried about the mark of Grima have to do with bad mouthing Plegia?"

"W-well…." Lucina touched the tips of her index fingers together while averting her gaze at him. "My sword… and my father's sword… the Falchion is proof of Naga's favor. So I just thought… if Morgan's sword is the same, but for Grima, then that would mean…" Her voice began to slowly trail off.

"Don't fret, princess." Libra consoled her. "Although the wielder of Falchion is said to curry Naga's favor, what it really means is that it can only be wielded by one born into the bloodline that she blessed. You are in the Exalt's bloodline, meaning that as long as the sword finds you worthy, you'll be able to wield it. I imagine the same is true for the Plegian sword. Only one born into the bloodline that Grima blessed, or rather, some say cursed, may wield it. This bloodline should be the Plegian royal family."

"So you think it has more to do with Morgan's bloodline instead of her fealty to the Fell Dragon?" Lucina asked.

"I imagine so." Libra nodded. "There is no need to worry. She is clearly skilled with a blade. If the sword were to stop working for her, we could easily replace it with another weapon. Just because she is the blade's owner doesn't mean she can only side with the Fell Dragon."

"Yeah… I hope that's the case…" Lucina murmured, still not feeling quite convinced.

"Wait." Robin put a hand on Morgan's head, ruffling her hair slightly. "I have a question for you, kiddo."

"What is it papa?" Morgan asked.

"Both the sword and this tome… Genesis…" Robin began. "You can use both of them, right?"

"Yep!" Morgan replied. "Feels like my own arm and leg!"

"Isn't Naga completely opposed to Grima and everything he stands for, and vice versa?" Robin asked, this time turning to Libra.

"For the most part, yes." The clergyman replied.

"So then I think we've figured it out." Robin snapped his fingers. "If she is able to use both of them, then it shouldn't have anything to do with her intentions. If we assumed that her intentions mattered, then she should only be able to use one or the other. But this is clearly not the case. Based on what I've just heard, it probably only has to do with the fact that she has the blood of both Ylissean and Plegian royals running through her veins and nothing to do with whom she chooses to fight for."

"Truly, a phenomenon that is unique to our times." Libra nodded. "A sign that it is possible for both sides to join together and bear fruit from the union. Miss Morgan here is truly someone very special, being able to use both a Divine tome and Fell Blade at the same time."

"Makes me wonder what else you're capable of." Robin smiled, patting Morgan's head once again. "Next time I see him, I'll ask your granduncle Walhart to see if Valm has any Regalia that only THEIR royalty can wield. Maybe they have a lance… or perhaps a bow or something you could try."

"That sounds amazing!" Morgan exclaimed happily while the other three people present sweatdropped.

"W-well Morgan…" Cynthia interrupted. "We should probably be going to bed now. It's getting awfully late after all."

"You're quite right." Libra nodded in agreement. "I should be taking my leave as well."

"All right. Bed time then." Morgan hugged each of her parents one more time before leaving with Cynthia. Before exiting the tent, Robin swore he saw the Pegasus Rider wink at him.

Robin sighed. "Well I'll get ready to sleep then." he grabbed a towel and moved towards the exit. "I'll be right back."

Lucina nodded, evidently still thinking about Morgan's mysterious circumstances.

**With Robin…**

As Robin left the tent, he slowly made his way towards Henry, who was just finished with boiling a pot of water. The Sorcerer was pouring the scalding liquid into a few buckets to cool.

"Henry," Robin smiled. "Just the guy I wanted to see."

"What can I do for ya?" Henry chriped. "Did you want some water? I just finished killing everything and anything that might have been in it. Nya ha!"

"Actually, some water would be nice." Robin chuckled. "But I also wanted to pick your brain."

"Pick my brain?" Henry laughed. "I suppose you'll need to find an axe to split my skull open then!"

Robin gave him a look.

"That was…" Henry cleared his throat, turning serious. "That was a joke. What did you need?"

"I was wondering if you knew of any weapons sacred to the Plegians." Robin finally got to the point. "The Ylisseans have Chrom's Falchion, and I just learned that there's also the Book of Naga."

"Hmm…" Henry cupped his chin. "Well I do know of a couple. The most famous one is Naglrath. The scythe that you use."

Robin nodded. "And?"

"And…" Henry furrowed his brows. "Well, I suppose there's the dark tome Goetia. But I wouldn't consider it on par with something like the Ylissean's Book of Naga. It was developed by Plegian Sorcerers, and due to its complex nature and the advanced sigil crafting necessary to create it, only one copy was ever made. However, even the best of our Sorcerers can't even begin to compete with a divine being like Naga. It's definitely stronger than something that's standard issue in the military, such as Thoron or Bolganone, but not quite as strong as the Book of Naga. And the third… it was only something I had heard of, mind you. It was a shortsword, rumored to be created from one of the Fell Dragon's fangs…"

"That's the one." Robin nodded, pointing directly at Henry. "Do you remember the weapon's name? Any other details?"

"Yep." Henry nodded. "If I recall correctly, it's named Epilogue, the Journey's End. My best guess is that it's durability and strength is on par with that of Falchion. However, this is just a theory, because the weapon was apparently lost at some point or another. Why?"

Robin smiled at the Sorcerer. "No reason. Thanks."

Henry shrugged. "All right. I can't ever guess what's brewing up in that big brain of yours."

Robin quickly finished washing up and headed back to his tent. Lucina was still sitting up in their bedroll when he walked in.

"You haven't slept yet?" Robin chuckled. "Aren't you tired?"

Lucina shook her head. "I was waiting for you."

"For me?" Robin changed out of his clothes before heading over to her. As soon as he laid down, Lucina snuck underneath one of his arms and rested her head on his chest. She sighed in contentment as Robin enveloped his arms around her.

"It's been quite a day, huh?" Robin sighed. "This morning felt like two eternities ago."

"Yeah…" Lucina mumbled. "But I'm so glad that it happened."

"You're not surprised by Morgan's arrival?" The tactician asked. "Not concerned? Don't you have a lot of questions on your mind?"

"Yeah, I have a lot of questions." Lucina admitted. "But truthfully, I took some time to think about it, and I think the arrival of Morgan is the single happiest event I've experienced since coming back from the future."

"Really?" Robin chuckled. "I didn't realize you were that attached to her already. I suppose it's a mother's instinct, after all."

"No, it's not that." Lucina giggled. "Actually, I'm struggling to deal with the fact that she might be my daughter. I don't think it's clicked for me yet. I don't think I think of her the same way Sumia… mother thinks of me."

"Well, at first it was difficult for her too." Robin sighed, recalling the events. At the time, the whole reveal was extremely frustrating for him to deal with, but because the two of them were together now, the memory no longer bore such a negative connotation. "I remember Sumia thought Chrom was cheating on her with you at first."

"Y-yeah…" Lucina mumbled. If Robin were a betting man, he would've put everything he had on the fact that she must have been blushing at that moment.

"Although..." Lucina continued. "The reason why the introduction of Morgan into my life brings me so much joy actually has nothing to do with, well, Morgan. It's more of a selfish reason, really…"

"What do you mean by that?" Robin asked.

"Are you really going to make me spell it out?" Lucina whined. This left Robin confused, causing a moment of silence as he tried to figure out what she could possibly be talking about.

"It means that the two of us had a child!" Lucina finally blurted. "Naga, how could someone so smart be so dense?"

"O-oh…" Robin chuckled awkwardly. "Does it really mean that much to you? I didn't realize you wanted to be a mother that bad."

"My point exactly!" Lucina complained. "I'm just happy because if the two of us had a child, it means we were probably married in Morgan's timeline. And that confirmation gives me hope for the future. Not only hope that I have a chance to lead a happy life, but also I know that there must be a way that we CAN beat the Fell Dragon."

"Y..yeah…" Robin sighed. "You know what? You're right. Now that I stop and think about it like that… a future together could be nice… once all of the fighting has stopped."

The outburst must have taken a lot out of Lucina, because she grew quiet afterwards. Robin, who was contemplating many topics, including Morgan's story, Lucina's feelings, and the topic of defeating the Fell Dragon, also didn't say much. A million thoughts seemed to be circulating through his head, keeping him awake for nearly another hour.

Finally, his thoughts reached the fact that Lucina had expressed that she would love to spend their futures together. Robin was immediately reminded of the conversation he had with Cynthia on the boat. If he were to ask for her hand, she would gladly give it to him. Robin knew that. But he still felt slightly uneasy about the whole thing. He didn't want to get married after such a short time of being together, but he decided that it was best if he at least told Lucina his intentions.

"There's something I have to ask, Lucina." Robin finally said out loud, not realizing how long it had been since she had said a word. The only response he received was the sound of Lucina's steady breathing.

"Figures she'd be asleep." Robin chuckled. "I suppose I'll have to tell her another time then. Know that you have given me a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'll treasure and cherish you forever."

Robin finally allowed himself to close his eyes and clear his mind, and shortly after, he joined Lucina in a deep slumber.

**Ylisstol…**

Once the shepherds reached Ylisstol, they were able to have some time off to relax. Many of them had recently gotten married after all, and so for these shepherds, they all planned their various honeymoons. None of them had the luxury of taking a long break from duty, but anything was better than being at war.

This also gave Morgan the time to adjust to her new surroundings. Although the castle and the shepherds garrison did little to jostle her memories, the entire experience was extremely enjoyable for the young girl. She was especially excited to find out that apparently her mother was a "princess". And her happiness was contagious. The other shepherds, future children, and even the castle staff all benefited from the energetic and optimistic young girl.

In the blink of an eye, a week passed. Although it wasn't obvious during that time, Robin soon began to realize that his relationship with Lucina had progressed significantly throughout the duration. The only thing that had made him realize how much closer they've gotten was when he overheard some of the commoners gossiping about the two of them as they walked through the streets of Ylisse. Only then did he realize that he was walking through the streets of Ylisstol hand in hand with their princess in a fashion that closely reminded others of a happily married couple. And it had felt so natural that he didn't even notice when Lucina had slipped her hand into his.

Now at this point, the commoners believed that both Lucina and Cynthia were members of the Exalt's family. After all, they each had a brand of the Exalt to prove it. However, what none of them guessed were that the pair of girls were actually Chrom's daughters. Instead, the general consensus was that they were the Exalt's cousins who had returned to Ylisse from a distant land. This wasn't too much of a stretch for most citizens to believe, because there was one other relative of Chrom's who resided in a distant land that many of them knew about.

As a result, Robin was able to self reflect that his relationship with Morgan as her father had improved as well. He always put aside some of his time in order to teach her, and Lucina found that it was reminding her immensely of her own childhood. The bond between mother and daughter improved as well, due to Lucina allowing Morgan to train in swordplay with her. And through this experience, Lucina was able to reach some surprising conclusions about her daughter as well.

Lucina concluded that it was unlikely that Morgan could have been Cynthia's daughter. The way she fought with a sword resembled too closely to that of hers and her father's. And seeing that Morgan insisted it was her mother that taught her swordplay, this affirmed in Lucina's mind that Morgan was indeed her daughter from the future. This at least gave her some peace of mind.

Furthermore, Lucina realized that although their styles and stances were extremely similar, it was indeed Morgan's own style, much like how her style differed from her father's. While Chrom wasn't slow like Kellam in a massive suit of armor by any means, he was certainly the slowest fighter of the three. However, he compensated for this by having more power behind each strike. And while Lucina had always prided herself on her speed, she found, to her dismay, that she was actually in between Morgan and her father. In fact, while practicing, she noticed that Morgan seemed to be able to land a hit on a training dummy twice as fast and twice as often as herself. Even considering that her weapon was shorter and therefore lighter and easier to swing faster, there shouldn't have been a reason why Morgan was twice as fast as her. And although the attacks proved to have far less power behind them, the gashes in the dummies proved that it would be extremely effective in silencing less armored enemies at lightning speeds.

The weird thing though was that when she got practice swords for both herself and Morgan so that they could spar against one another, Lucina found herself keeping pace with Morgan. This frustrated her to think that Morgan may even be holding back when fighting her. She concluded that the difference in speed must have something to do with Morgan's unique weapon.

Finally, the day Robin had been expecting drew near. He had been helping Morgan learn some more advanced mathematics in the castle library, when Frederick came to find him.

"Robin, we've discovered the location of the fifth gemstone." The Great Knight told him somberly.

"Good news." Robin nodded.

"Perhaps… I can give you the details on the way to meeting milord." Frederick suggested.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Robin got up, but not before rubbing the top of Morgan's head. "Study hard, kiddo. I'll come back as soon as business is finished."

"No problem!" Morgan beamed. "You can count on me Papa!"

Robin got up and left with Frederick for Chrom's private meeting room.

Chrom was busy pacing around the room when Robin arrived. He looked extremely relieved when Frederick brought Robin into the room.

"We got a response." Chrom sat down immediately as Robin mimicked his action. Frederick slowly closed and locked the door, so that they wouldn't get interrupted. "It's just as you told us."

"Plegia?" Robin asked.

"Plegia." Chrom nodded. "Frederick just came back with an invitation from the Plegian King. Validar says he and the Plegians been safeguarding Sable for generations. He'd like to present it to me in person. So now the question is, knowing this is a trap, what do we do?"

"We walk straight in." Robin replied. "Make no mistake. We NEED this gemstone in order to perform the Awakening, correct? And if we do anything else, Validar will think we're suspicious about his intentions."

Chrom nodded. "You're right. Lucina made it clear the Awakening ritual will not be enough if we perform it with only four gemstones. But if we walk straight into his trap, what's your plan? I'm sure you're thinking of a way to get the gemstone AND get out unscathed."

Robin looked over his shoulder. He gestured to the door towards Frederick. "Check." he told the Great Knight.

Robin and Chrom sat around as Frederick opened the door and checked the area outside. When he was done, Frederick came back in and closed the door once again.

"All clear." Frederick nodded.

"It's time to put Basilio to use." Robin told Chrom. "There's a reason we had him remain in hiding, after all. You gave him the money, right?"

"Yes." Frederick nodded. "The last time I met with him, I gave it to him personally. Along with the instructions on what to do with it. I will be honest, I hadn't understood what it was all for until now."

"Good." Robin nodded. "We need you to send a messenger to Validar saying that we're accepting his invitation. But because of everything we had to set aside for the Valmese war, we need some time to get some of the paperwork and bureaucratic stuff out of the way. We'll arrive in Plegia in around a week."

"Got it." Chrom nodded.

"We need to notify Basilio as soon as possible." Robin continued. "He needs to swap the fake gemstones with the real ones on the Emblem the night before we leave. Expect this, Chrom, and leave the Fire Emblem in your room the night before. Keep it in an obvious place so that Basilio can swap the stones easily."

"Sure." Chrom nodded again. "And once we get to Plegia?"

"Well, here's the risky part." Robin sighed. "We're going to have to accept that Validar will get his hands on the Emblem."

"And… why is that?" Chrom furrowed his eyebrows.

"Based on the visions I've been receiving in my dreams, he's going to have some way to try and take control of my mind." Robin explained. "And basically, he's going to force me to take the Emblem from you and give it to him. Now I'm sure that without the assistance from the power of the gemstones, there is no way for a mind control spell to completely control me, considering my resistance to magic. However, I've never encountered any spells like that before, so I might be vulnerable to it the first time. When that time happens. I want you to put up a fake struggle. Just let me pry the Emblem from your arm."

"But… what if you can fight the mind control?" Chrom asked. "Why would we even need to take this risk?"

"I'm going to fight it with every fibre of my being." Robin responded. "But I can't be sure that I'll know how to fight against something that I'm completely unprepared for. And I know you're going to feel bad about being parted with the Emblem, but the actual Emblem doesn't hold any power. If needed, we can actually craft another one. The real power comes from the gemstones, which we'll still have."

"I… see." Chrom nodded. "I can't say I LIKE this plan, but if that's what you think is the best idea, I'll go along with it. But… I just don't understand why we need to even go if all we're going to be doing is giving up the Emblem."

"The Emblem is much larger than a single gemstone." Robin reminded him. "Validar could literally hide a gemstone anywhere in the castle. Even if we were to remove him from power, we'd have to search for ages just to find it, assuming he even leaves it in the castle in the first place. But the Emblem… there's only so many places that he could keep it. Chances are, he'll try and keep it on himself just to be safe, kind of like you, especially since he'll believe that all five gemstones are there already."

"That gives me a little more comfort, I suppose." Chrom sighed. "All right, I trust you."

"If Validar uses this spell on my mind once, I'll be able to adapt to it so that I cannot fall prey to it a second time." Robin assured him. "We can catch him by surprise the next time. But for it to work, we can't let anyone else know. Otherwise, Validar's spies might catch wind of it from somewhere we don't even know."

"I'll get the preparations ready then." Chrom nodded. "Let's discuss some of the other details then..."

The meeting lasted for another hour before everything was sorted out.

**One week later…**

The shepherds were marching towards Plegia for their fateful meeting with the king. The more they marched towards Plegia, the drier and hotter it became. Soon, they had left behind the lush grasslands of Ylisse and entered the barren deserts of Plegia. On their way towards Castle Dolhr, they passed by the skull of a large, six eyed dragon.

Despite it being the middle of a hot and dry desert, Lucina felt shivers run through her body at the sight of it.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked with concern after noticing her reaction.

"There it sits… that great skull." Lucina replied. "I saw it once, when Emmeryn was sentenced to die. It just… it reminds me of… _him_."

"You mean Grima." Chrom said plainly.

Lucina flinched at the name. "Yes. The Fell Dragon. A cataclysmic war ushered his return. And people say he fed off the souls of the dead before turning on the living for nourishment. Whether these bones are the actual ones or just an effigy, I cannot say. But I know that we cannot let that monster come back to life."

"We'll stop him, Lucina." Chrom sighed. "That's a promise. The future can be changed, and you've proven it already. Together, we'll change the course of history."

"I want to believe that." Lucina sighed as she mumbled to herself. "I want to believe that more than anything… Because if it's not true, then we'll all be dead soon."

As the shepherds walked through the halls of Castle Dohlr towards the meeting room Validar had prepared, Robin leaned in towards Chrom. This would be the last opportunity where he could safely whisper to Chrom. Validar had only allowed four people from their party into the meeting room for concern of space, so Chrom had selected Frederick, Robin, Lucina and himself. The rest will wait outside the doors once they arrive.

"I checked with my Hekseer." Robin whispered to him. "There are armed men throughout the building. All of them with hostile intentions."

"So I guess we were right." Chrom nodded as his gaze never wavered. "Can you find a route of escape?"

"Already done." Robin cheekily replied.

"Well I'm glad I didn't have to fight against YOU in our war with Plegia." Chrom chuckled as he shook his head in disbelief. "History would be written completely differently."

They paused their conversation as they arrived in the meeting room. Validar had a wicked grin on his face as he greeted them with Aversa standing next to him.

"Well met, milord." Aversa curtsied.

"Prince Chrom!" Validar exclaimed. "Welcome! We're so glad you made it back from Valm victorious and in one piece!"

"It's… nice to see you again." Chrom hesitantly nodded. "I was told you had something you wished to give me?"

"My, my!" Validar shook his head in mock disappointment. "No time for courtesy? I was just about to offer you all some tea! Such impatience… do you really want it that badly? This… concerns me… The Fire Emblem and the Gemstones are… treacherous artifacts. A fact that Plegia and the Grimleal know all too well."

"Sadly!?" Lucina fumed. "You speak ill of when the first Exalt used them to save humanity from the destruction of the Fell Dragon!?"

"Yes I do, intruder!" Validar spat.

"In...intruder?" Lucina was slightly taken aback.

"Prince Chrom, I would advise you control your mutt." Validar sighed as he ruffled his pauldrons. "This is getting me more worked up than I'd like. If disobedient dogs cannot be controlled, the Grimleal will be happy to dispose of her for you."

"You wouldn't dare!" Chrom raised his arm in front of Lucina protectively.

"Of course, of course." Validar laughed. "I only jest."

Then, he turned serious. "Give me the Fire Emblem. Give it to me… NOW!"

"You mad scoundrel!" Lucina exclaimed. "That's… that's a declaration of war!"

"It doesn't matter what it is." Validar retorted. "I only care about one thing. Give me the Fire Emblem NOW!"

Chrom looked like he hesitated for a moment. "...Never."

"Well, then I guess this parley is over." Validar chuckled.

The other entrances to the room burst open, and in rushed several Plegian soldiers, all armed to the teeth for combat.

"This way!" Robin exclaimed as he blasted the door they had came in from with a bolt of Thoron. He first ushered Lucina out of the newly created hole in the door before covering for Chrom and Frederick as they fended off the Plegian soldiers assaulting them. In the matter of half a minute, all four of them had safely left the room and reconvened with the shepherds. They made a break for the exit.

"Robin had an escape all planned out…" Aversa admired. "How clever of him. Even a mage prepared to cast a spell could not hope to flash cast Thoron that fast. He's truly talented."

Validar only chuckled in response. "If he only had half the wits of his father, he would know they've already lost."

Validar turned around. "I'm taking the shortcut. Are you coming? We'll be there in time to see whether or not their ragtag group can make it past all of our elite soldiers."

"I'm right behind you, milord." Aversa smiled as she followed after him.

**With Robin…**

Robin and Chrom led the shepherds as they ran through Castle Dohlr. As they did so, Robin had a nostalgic feeling, almost as if he'd ran through these exact same halls before, which of course, he had.

"This way!" Robin urged everyone as he turned right down another hallway.

"Everyone stick close together!" Chrom called. "If you see an armed Plegian, stick a sword through them first, and ask questions later! Call if anything is wrong!"

"We're almost out of the castle!" Robin reassured everyone. "But there are SOME soldiers ahead. Everyone prepare for battle!"

As if on cue, a Plegian Berserker and Swordmaster appeared in front of them as they turned another corridor. Without coordinating anything, Chrom slashed down the Berserker, while Robin cast a Ruin spell at the Swordmaster to prevent him from attacking Chrom while he was vulnerable. The Swordmaster was forced to dodge backwards, and was not expecting Robin's scythe to suddenly lunge towards him, cleaving the man in two.

Behind them, Maribelle cried out in alarm. Robin turned back to see her narrowly dodge a dark spell.

"What kind of imbecile would throw an attack like that one?" Maribelle cried in dismay. "It was such a bone headed move that I almost ran straight into it."

"That's a Mire spell!" Henry offered. "They have experienced Sorcerers. Probably hiding a good distance away!"

"What do we do?" Ricken asked. "We can't exactly fight back if we can't even see them!"

"The disadvantage of Mire is that it has an absurdly low accuracy." Robin recalled off the top of his head. "There should be a few moments where you can see exactly where the spell will hit before it actually does damage. As long as you remain alert, no one should get hit by these spells. On the off chance that you DO get hit, call for me immediately. Regular staves may not work on the wound."

The shepherds continued to push forward towards the exit, dodging Mire spells left and right as they did so. This was clearly the place that was understaffed, possibly because it was so far away from the meeting room. Maybe the Plegians didn't expect them to find their way here?

Occasionally, they would run into a few Plegian guards or soldiers. However, after dealing with Walhart and his military might, fighting these Plegians felt like fighting children. That's not to say the Plegians were weak. While their combat prowess may not be much weaker than the average shepherd, they simply lacked the practical experience to properly match the Ylisseans.

Kjelle raised his shield in front of Cordelia so that a Plegian Assassin couldn't hit her with an arrow. Miriel blasted the Assassin with an Arcfire, burning the man to cinders.

Nearby, a Sorcerer blasted Vaike with his rapid firing Waste tome. However, the Berserker didn't even flinch as he danced around every spell.

"Yer just simply not good enough to hit Ol' Teach!" Vaike exclaimed.

This gave Gregor the opportunity to flank the distracted Sorcerer, gutting him with a stab of his sword.

"Oi! Muscle Man!" Gregor called."Is no time for goofing, yes?"

"What do you mean!?" Vaike protested. "I was distracting the guy. How else could you have snuck on him that easily?"

"Hmm…" Gregor cupped his chin contemplatively. Eventually he laughed. "Ha! When you put that way, Gregor say good job!"

Vaike grinned and gave the guy a thumbs up before rushing to find someone else to take on.

Once the shepherds understood the general direction they needed to go, Robin changed from leading the pack to being more in the middle of the shepherds, calling the shots.

"Gerome, archer at your 7 o'clock direction. Stahl, go cover our right flank. Panne, take Tharja to the back. There are a couple Berserkers coming at us from that direction." Robin surveyed the battlefield and rapidly called out directions.

He noticed something as they ran by a couple of the rooms. There were some boxes with locks on them. Since locks weren't exactly cheap to make, whatever is inside must contain some value to justify having a lock over it. 'May as well.' he thought to himself. 'We're here anyways.'

"Donnel, I want you and Gaius to go raid that room." Robin gestured with two fingers. "There's a Sorcerer inside, possibly one of the Mire users. Take him out, and loot whatever is valuable."

"I'm sorry, Bubbles." Gaius blinked, thinking he didn't hear that correctly. "But did you just tell me to LOOT the room?"

"Do you not know how to do that?" Robin said in mock surprise. "You break into the chests, take whatever valuable… it's pretty simple really."

Gaius grinned from ear to ear. He twirled a set of lock picks with one finger. "Consider it done."

The two went off the pillage the pockets of the Plegians.

Robin continued to give orders. "Nah, blast a hole through that wall. No… not that one, but it's fine. Noire! You see that Sorcerer over there? He's too far away for anyone to hit... except with a Longbow! Take him out. Assassin straight ahead, keep him off of us, Lon'qu! Lissa, Laurent got hit by a stray arrow. Tend to the wound right away please!"

He let his guard down for a second and almost walked straight into a Mire spell.

"Robin!" Lucina cried in alarm. She dove the tactician, knocking him out of the way of the spell.

While the pair was down, a Plegian Assassin jumped out from the shadows in an attempt to strike them while they were down.

"Papa! Mama!" Morgan cried as she rushed forward. She swung Epilogue with a reverse grip, knocking the Plegian's strike trajectory off and immediately swung her arm back the other way. This time, she had flipped Epilogue into a regular grip and slashed the Plegian's throat.

Immediately afterwards, she flipped out of the way of a Waste spell. Morgan sheathed Epilogue mid flip and took out her Book of Naga. She raised one hand towards her assailant, and the Sorcerer was surrounded by a ball of colorful light before it exploded, killing the man instantly."

"Damn…" Brady muttered in awe. "That kid sure don't pull no punches."

Morgan wiped her brow in relief after seeing that both her parents were safe. "Whew!"

Speaking of, Lucina was now lying atop of Robin with her head resting on his chest.

"You really didn't have to do that." Robin sighed. "I appreciate it, but you're only putting yourself at risk. Even if that attack hit me, it wouldn't have harmed me that much."

"You could have gotten though, and that's reason enough." Lucina replied as she got off of him. "I… since I know things went downhill in the future ever since my father died… I think things might be the same if YOU die. So I don't want to take any risks. Even if I were to die, history can still change for the better. But if you or Chrom die…"

Lucina began to trail off. Robin grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're not allowed to say that."

"...I…" Lucina began.

"Your life is not worth any less than any one of the shepherds. And that's including me and your father." Robin told her seriously.

A call jostled him from the seriousness. "Robin, we need you over here!" Gaius exclaimed as he appeared to be hauling something in a bag tossed over his shoulder.

"We'll talk about this later." Robin made eye contact with Lucina once again. "For now… please… stay safe."

Lucina bit her lip as Robin ran off. After a brief moment of reflection, she picked up Falchion and rejoined the fray.

"What did you find?" Robin asked as he approached.

"Some gold, a weapon or two, a bunch of dark tomes…" Gaius began to fumble through the contents of the sack. "Are we keeping all of it?"

"You can drop any metal weapons you find." Robin told him. "Everything else… keep as much as possible."

"Got it." Gaius gave a thumbs up to indicate his understanding. "There's a few more rooms with boxes to crack open. I'll have Stumbles hold onto all of this, and I'll make another run with ol' Tin-head."

"Stay safe." Robin nodded.

Suddenly, Gaius dodged a bolt of lightning that would have struck where he was standing a moment ago.

"Hey, I recognize that attack…" Gaius squinted his eyes accusingly. He didn't find who he was looking for, so he decided to yell to everyone instead. "Hey Red! Don't think I didn't see that! This isn't a time or place to play games!"

"What are you talking about?" Anna called back from the other side of the battlefield. "I haven't done anything. Whatever you're talking about, it really wasn't me this time."

"Don't mess around with me!" Gaius exclaimed. "I know you're the only one with a weapon that creates electricity like that. Even Lightning tomes don't look like that one. There's no one else here who could've done that."

"THAT'S where you're wrong." A Plegian voice chuckled.

Robin turned to see a Plegian Berserker wielding a large axe with a blade shaped like a bolt of thunder.

"What you tasted was my Bolt Axe." The Berserker cackled. "I am Algol, a faithful member of the Grimleal and General in the Plegian army. I'm sorry, but I can't let any of you leave here alive."

Robin drew out his scythe and turned to Gaius. "I'll keep him busy. Warn the others towards the front and the to our back to be careful. There could be more of them trying to flank us."

"Got it." Gaius nodded before he blinked away.

Algol faced Robin. "Oh ho! I think I recognize that weapon. Now tell me, what would Plegian royalty be doing mingling with the Ylisseans of all people? Don't you know that we are bitter enemies?"

"The only enemy in my way right now is you." Robin responded coldly as he flourished his weapon.

"Well, orders are orders." Algol shrugged. "It don't matter if your a prince or a pauper. I'll have to present your head to King Validar myself. Prepare to taste the devastating lightning from my Bolt Axe!"

A bolt of lightning streaked towards Robin as the Berserker raised his axe. However, Robin just stood still. There was no need for him to act. Algol looked at him, expecting Robin to crumple over in pain. Instead, Robin simply brushed the attack off like it was nothing.

"I...impossible!" Algol stammered. "That was a direct hit."

"Weak." Robin stated.

"W-what!?" Algol exclaimed. "Are you trying to mock me!?"

"I meant exactly what I said." Robin explained. "Your attack is weaker than Anna's. My guess is, you probably got your hands on a Bolt Axe and thought you could use it to distinguish yourself from all of the other Plegian Berserkers. But my guess is, you haven't had very much training in magic, which is why although it looks intimidating, it's no stronger than if I were to use a basic Thunder spell."

Algol paled as Robin hit the nail on the head.

"I suppose it is my turn then." Robin twirled his scythe around. "I don't have time to waste on the likes of you."

As expected, Algol, who had spent a lot of effort into refining his magic since receiving the axe, did not do so well in close range combat. This was his downfall, considering as a Berserker, it was supposed to be their strong point. It took Robin less than thirty seconds for Algol to turn from very much alive to very much dead.

Robin knelt down and picked up the Bolt Axe. "Lissa!" he called.

"What is it?" Lissa ran over, staff ready. "Did you get injured?"

"Not this time." Robin smiled. "This is for you."

Lissa took the Bolt Axe from him. "Woah! What's this weapon? It looks so strange!"

"That's a Bolt Axe." Robin explained. "It's just like Anna's sword. You're the only shepherd that is both well versed in magic and axes. It's yours. It'll help you protect yourself a little better."

"Wow, THIS is a Bolt Axe!?" Lissa exclaimed. "I love it already!"

"Figure out how to use it first." Robin chuckled as Lissa ran back towards their main group.

As they continued to fight their way through the Plegians, eventually their enemies' numbers began to dwindle.

"Almost there!" Chrom called to everyone in encouragement. "The exit is just-"

Before Chrom could finish his sentence, Validar and Aversa appeared in front of the exit, blocking their path forward.

"Run as you like." Validar grinned. "You can't escape fate! Don't you know that? Now give me the Fire Emblem. You can do it freely, or it will be taken by force."

"Just try it!" Chrom dared, brandishing Falchion at the Plegian King.

Validar only chuckled. "I won't need to lift a finger… Robin! Seize the Emblem and give it to me!"

As if on cue, Robin felt a voice buzzing in his head. An alluring voice, calling him to obey it. Robin felt… quite underwhelmed. 'This… this is it?'

Still, Robin needed to put up a charade. They still needed that fifth gemstone, after all. He fell to his knees, pretending he was in pain. In order to make it more convincing, Robin held his head with one hand while the second one snuck within his robes and pulled out a small knife, which he drove into his leg. This time, he let out a genuine roar of pain.

"Robin!" Lucina exclaimed when she heard him. She turned towards the noise and froze.

Many other shepherds did the same. They saw Robin slowly get up. When he turned his head towards them, they saw that his eyes were glowing, with energy flickering out like two purple flames. His breathing was ragged. This was a scene that they had seen before.

If Validar really understood the situation, he'd realize that Robin was just faking it. The proof was directly in front of him: the glyphs and sigils on Robin's cloak flashed and flickered wildly as it fought off the arcane and unholy spell that Validar had cast. However, Validar saw Robin's enraged visage and viewed it as proof that his spell was working.

Robin turned towards Chrom. To his credit, he did an excellent job of pretending to be surprised.

"Uh…" Chrom chuckled nervously. "Robin?"

Suddenly, Robin tackled the man. Frederick instantly rushed over to try and 'help pry him off'. The three of them struggled for about a minute, greatly exaggerating the severity of the situation. While the shepherds looked on in horror, Validar had a smirk on his face.

Finally, Robin pried the Fire Emblem from Chrom's arm and tossed it towards Validar's feet.

Validar, feeling quite satisfied, snapped his fingers, and Robin felt the voice in his head stop. And so he stopped struggling as well.

Validar inspected the Emblem and placed the last gemstone, Sable in its socket. "Very well, my child. The table is almost set. And with my gemstone, I can perform the ritual that will rouse Grima!"

With that, he and Aversa warped away, just as fast as they had appeared.

"What… what have I done?" Robin panted. "Chrom, I'm… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was like… I couldn't control my actions"

Chrom had to suppress a grin at his friend's act. "Look, I know you are. But it's not safe here. We need to focus on getting out of here first." Chrom turned to the shepherds. "We'll address this problem later. First, we need to get everyone out of here."

The shepherds all seemed to agree. Even though the event clearly shocked them, they would have time to consider it after they were all safe.

Lucina, along with all the other future children, as well as all of the shepherds, had a million thoughts running through her head as the shepherds made their way out of Castle Dohlr, morale lower than ever.

**Author's Notes:**

**Alright, I've finally made the transition to leaving my notes at the bottom of my chapters. I started keeping them at the top at the beginning, because I hadn't really thought about the issue. And as time went on, I kept it up there for esthetics reasons. But I think it probably makes more sense for you to read the chapter first and then read the notes in many cases. **

**If you played the game, you'll know that the game is drawing towards an end by this point. In other words, the finale will be coming in just a few chapters. And I won't give anything away, but I have a thing or two planned for the story. Stay tuned to find out.**


	40. An Ill Presage

**Sands of Plegia…**

The shepherds set up camp as soon as they got to a small oasis that was far enough from Castle Dolhr. However, no one wanted to address the elephant in the camp. Instead, everyone just left Robin alone. Even Morgan, who had wanted to go cheer her father up, was stopped by Chrom, who told her it was best to just let him be by himself for now. Reluctantly, Morgan obeyed her grandfather and instead spent some time with Sumia.

And Robin didn't mind. He knew that this would be one, or even the most likely outcome when the plan was being made with Chrom and Frederick. He knew there was nothing he was truly guilty of, but at the same time, he had to seem sorrowful in order for people to believe he was genuinely under Validar's control. For that very reason, he resisted the urge to read and instead acted like he was in shock. During dinner, he had gotten his food without saying a word, and ate it alone at the edge of the camp. When Chrom snuck a look at him, Robin quickly flashed him a thumbs up to let him know that the situation was completely under control. He noticed Chrom sigh in relief. Although things didn't seem too good for him at the moment, Robin knew that there would only be a couple of days before he could reveal his grand plan to everyone. For now, he could only endure it and be patient.

The older generation of shepherds didn't want to make a fuss about the whole deal. A few people had approached Chrom in hushed whispers, asking if Robin was fine, but no one wanted to actually go and provoke the guy. They didn't really understand what was going on, after all. And since Chrom wasn't acting, there really wasn't a need for them to act either. However, they couldn't deny that their faith in Robin had been shaken. Most of them still believed, or still wanted to believe in him, although one or two of them had begun to have a suspicion or two.

It was a completely different matter for the younger generation shepherds. Lucina, for one, was freaking out. Although she knew it was one of her father's allies that had killed him in their timeline, Robin would be the last person she would have guessed. And the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Even if Chrom were suddenly backstabbed, if Robin wasn't the culprit, he would've probably tried to save the lives of as many shepherds as possible. If this were the case, he would have utterly failed considering almost no one made it back to Ylisstol alive. And if he WERE the culprit, it would have been one of the least likely suspects, on par with Frederick. It would make perfect sense, however, if there was a force that controlled Robin. Because to their allies, it would look like betrayal, but Robin wouldn't have known any better if his mind were under someone else's control. She didn't want to believe it, but unfortunately, Lucina knew better than anyone that what you want is often what you can't actually have. Or so it seemed to her.

She didn't object when Cynthia informed her that the children were going to have a meeting after dinner to discuss what had just happened to Robin. If Cynthia of all people was getting serious about something like this, Lucina had better treat it seriously too.

As soon as dinner was finished, Everyone gathered in Laurent's tent, which happened to be the one furthest from where Robin, and really any of the adult shepherds, were. They had decided that it was for the best if what they talked about stayed between themselves and only themselves.

"So I'm not crazy am I?" Cynthia asked as soon as all of them were gathered. "You guys all saw Robin fight Chrom for the Fire Emblem and throw it at the Plegian king, right?"

"MY question is…" Kjelle gritted her teeth. "Why hasn't Chrom done anything? Robin clearly betrayed us just now, and he's treating it as if nothing even happened."

"It was scary!" Yarne added. "It was as if he was possessed!"

"Wait a minute!" Brady protested. "Y'all know as well as me. Uncle Robin'll never do somethin' like that! He's always been on our side!"

"I don't think he did it of his free will." Gerome nodded. It was rare for him to speak at all, which indicated how much he really agreed with Brady.

"While most of us don't sincerely believe that Robin would betray us and the shepherds, it also cannot be denied that what he did today was most definitely an act of betrayal." Laurent pushed up his glasses with one finger. "However, we can clearly see that Robin was not in control of himself today."

"A...and that's dangerous." Noire finished, nodding.

"Exactly!" Cynthia agreed, pointing at the older, but shy girl. "While all of us know and love him dearly..."

"Some more than most…" Nah muttered, earning a couple of smirks and giggles as they all turned towards Lucina. However, the princess was not laughing.

"...we also can't forget that we were sent back to fix the past in order to save the future." Cynthia explained. "So we need to, as a group, figure out what we can do in order to help Robin with this problem. If there is some way we can help him overcome the mind controlling spell, we can do our part and save the future."

"B-but… how do we do that?" Noire asked. "Do you have any ideas, Laurent?"

"I have no idea what that Plegian did to Robin." Laurent shook his head. "Suffice to say, my estimate is that it would take a minimum of several years before the enigmatic spell is completely understood. We simply lack the time to do so."

"So what can we do then?" Nah asked. "For all we know, the guy wasn't even using his full strength. He just wanted the Fire Emblem. Next time, he might make Robin actually kill Chrom. It's possible that Robin was the one that killed him in the first place."

"We can't let 'im do that!" Brady exclaimed. "Maybe we just hold 'im back in the next battle! Knock him out if we 'ave to!"

"Brady makes a decent point." Laurent nodded. "Perhaps, he will not harm Chrom if he isn't physically capable of harming him. Perhaps this is the solution we have been searching for."

"Still…" Noire mumbled. "One of us has to go suggest this to Chrom. And he might not listen."

"If we knock him out, who will command the battle? Whatever we do, we'll need to be careful about it." Yarne sighed. "We only get one chance, after all. "

"That's what I'm worried about too." Nah agreed. "We really can't mess it up this time."

"You're right." Lucina said. Everyone paused. This was the first thing Lucina had contributed to the conversation. Everyone wanted to hear what she had to say. "So the option that secures the future the most is killing him. Right here, right now."

Silence filled the tent.

"You can't be serious!" Brady finally exclaimed. "Yer mad!"

"Y-yeah…" Cynthia chuckled nervously. "Is the desert heat getting to you, sis? There's no need to go straight to killing him!"

"A-after everything he's done for us and our parents, doesn't that seem… a little ungrateful?" Noire asked.

"Look, I know this may sound a bit harsh, but…" Yarne began, "If this is the option that gives the rest of us the best chances of survival, then I'm all for it."

"He also clearly betrayed us!" Kjelle pointed out. "I agree it would be the safest option."

"The safest option may not be the BEST option." Laurent pointed out. "I firmly believe there is a way to resolve this issue without resorting to cold blooded murder. However… if there is no other option, then I concur that we at least have this extreme option to fall back on."

"Laurent!" Cynthia exclaimed. "Did you forget? Robin was the one that taught you magic when your mother was too busy! How can you be so ungrateful towards him?"

"I never forgot." Laurent counted. "But we also have to take into consideration the lives of everyone in the world. When weighed against Robin's, it really is no contest. As much as it pains me to say so, it is also the truth."

"I agree." Nah sighed. "I don't LIKE the idea. But it would work."

"Y'all are crazy!" Brady protested. "Don't forget that he 'as a daughter now! How would y'all feel if we suggested killing one of yer parents? How could the lot of you be so… so friggin' heartless?"

"Did the pleasantries of this timeline get to your head, Brady?!" Kjelle demanded. "Did you forget how destructive Grima was? None of us stand a chance against him if we allow him to come back. ALL of us will die if Grima is resurrected."

"Yeah, an' what I'M saying is that killing Robin would not prevent Grima from coming back!" Brady exclaimed.

Laurent nodded at this. "There is not enough evidence to suggest that the events of killing Robin and resurrecting Grima are disjoint."

"But you also can't deny that the chances of stopping Grima are lower if Chrom is dead." Yarne pointed out.

"Yarne!" Noire exclaimed. "H-how could you!?"

"Enough." Everyone stopped arguing as soon as Gerome, the other mostly silent one spoke.

"What's your opinion Gerome?" Cynthia asked.

"Actually, I'd been considering the same option Lucina proposed for a while now." Gerome said.

More silence.

"However, I didn't want to be the one to suggest it, which is why I'm glad Lucina was the one to bring it up." He looked at their leader, to see that her eyes were downcast, clearly not feeling good about the decision. This was a quality Gerome had always admired in her. She could make a decision based on what was good for everyone, even if it meant it hurt herself. It was something that made her an excellent leader, and one of the reasons why he followed her lead willingly. "The truth of the matter is, killing Robin would be a substantial sacrifice for all of us. For me personally, I'd feel worse seeing him die than my own parents from this timeline. And I know that while that may not be true for all of you, every single one of us would feel SOMETHING, and it definitely isn't happiness."

All the younger generation shepherds nodded in agreement.

"But the truth of the matter is…" Gerome continued. "The one that would be harmed the most, by far, is Lucina. I am probably the least sensitive person in our group, and even I can notice how much of a difference Robin's presence has on her mood. And if I can notice how happy he makes her, I'm sure you all noticed as well."

More nodding from his friends.

"So what I think is…" Gerome sighed. "We leave this decision up to Lucina. If she decides to kill… or if she wants one of us to kill him, we go through with it. But if she decides against killing him, we'll support the decision as well. Is that a fair plan?"

"An astute decision." Laurent nodded. "You can count on my support for this proposal."

"That seems fair." Kjelle nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." Nah agreed as well.

"I think there's no reason for me to object to that." Yarne nodded.

"...Fine." Brady finally conceded.

"...But!" Cynthia protested. "Aren't we just putting all of the pressure on Lucy then? I can't imagine she wants to be the one to make-"

"It's fine." Lucina responded coldly as she got up and picked up her sword. "I don't want any of you to get your hands dirty anyways. If he's going to die, then I have to be the one to do it."

As she began to walk towards the exit of the tent, Gerome stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. "Remember, whatever you choose to do, the rest of us will support the decision. Just think about it, and do whatever you deem is right."

Lucina finally made eye contact with him, and Gerome could see tears beginning to well up in the princess's eyes. Finally, she nodded in conviction and left the tent.

No one wanted to leave as they sat around the tent in relative silence. Brady held Noire in an embrace as the archer began to sob.

**With Robin…**

The sun was beginning to set. Robin found himself at the edge of camp by himself, gathering his thoughts. He wasn't a fool. He understood that many of the others were conflicted over what had just happened. But Robin knew that all he had to do was endure this treatment for a day or two, and he'll be welcomed by the shepherds once again. At least, this was the plan.

He didn't expect anyone to come seek him out, especially since he was relatively far away from the camp. So when Lucina suddenly approached him, he was pleasantly surprised.

At first.

"Beg pardon, Robin." The princess began. "Might I have a word?"

"Lucina!" Robin turned towards her, but his face fell when he noticed the sorrowful expression on her face. "What is it?"

"I...it's about my father." Lucina explained. "I have memories of him… from when I was little. Back when he used to work himself to exhaustion along with you… Before he… died."

"I… see…" Robin replied cautiously.

"He was courageous… and kind." Lucina continued. "And everyone always spoke fondly of him… and people say he was brave up until the very end. But he was always so busy… I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do… I can see that not only would the world be robbed of a great man with his death, but it could also allow for the resurrection of the Fell Dragon Grima. Without father, his Falchion and the Awakening ritual, this war would be lost. I won't allow him to die."

"I understand." Robin smiled. "You love him… we all do."

"Robin…." Lucina seemed to be choking back tears as she reached for her sword. "P-please… forgive me…"

She drew her sword and pointed it at Robin.

"Lucina?" Robin asked. He seemed more concerned than startled.

"St-stay where you are, Robin!" Lucina exclaimed. "I have no choice! I must kill you!"

"Get ahold of yourself." Robin consoled her. "Whatever is bothering you… we can talk it out. No need to point your sword at me."

"In my future…" Lucina shook her head. "You were my father's murderer!"

"What!?" Now Robin became even more concerned. "Are you sure? Why would I want to kill Chrom?"

"I was not certain myself…" Lucina continued. "Until now. I knew that he had been killed… betrayed by one of his allies. But I never in my wildest dreams would have believed it to be you. But seeing what happened today… I know it must have been you. You were at Validar's mercy. I suspect that it was him who forced you to take my father's life."

"Lucina, wait." Robin insisted, but the future princess ignored him.

"I-if my father is right, then we can change our fates." she continued on. "If this dark future is to be avoided, sacrifices must be made. I'm sorry Robin! I know this is murder… I… I know that…"

"Lucina... " Robin sighed. "You don't have to do this."

"Don't make it any harder!" Lucina demanded. "If you wish, draw your weapon! But please, if you hold any love for Chrom, then let this be done…"

Robin made eye contact with Lucina for a few moments, thinking things over.

Her gaze never wavered. Finally, Robin closed his eyes and sighed. He reached out with his right hand and pulled his scythe out from an astral plane. He then held the weapon directly in front of him, horizontally.

Lucina tightened her grip on Falchion as she expected Robin to prepare to fight. Instead, Robin only let go of the weapon, allowing his scythe to drop to the ground.

"Wh-what are you doing!?" Lucina demanded. "Pick it up!"

Robin only smiled and held his arms out to his side. "No. My life is yours. Do with it what you must."

"D-don't look at me like that! I… I love you!" Her confession came out a lot easier than she would have expected under normal circumstances, although the mood certainly wasn't perfect. "Don't you know how hard this is for me?"

Robin looked startled for a second at the confession.

"Hearing you say that makes me so happy." Robin smiled as he closed his eyes. "I would give my life for Chrom. And for you."

Lucina was at a loss for words. Didn't Robin care that she was about to kill him? Wasn't he afraid to die?

"Just… promise me you'll find someone else who cares for you." Robin eventually said. "Promise me you won't be alone… I want you to be happy Lucina. I truly do."

"N-no…" Lucina finally couldn't control her emotions anymore, and tears began to trickle down her face. "I...no…"

"...I'm ready now." Robin sighed. "Do what you must."

"I...I…" Lucina had felt so sure that she was going to kill him in order to save the future just mere moments ago. So why couldn't she find the strength or conviction to do so now? "Damn me! I… I just can't do it! I love you too much! I'm…"

Lucina fell to her knees. Instead of just a few stray ones, tears began to cascade down her face. "I'm so sorry Robin! I'm s-so sorry! Please… please forgive me!"

Robin finally opened his eyes. Seeing Lucina on the ground in front of him, he knelt down as well and wrapped his arms around her. "Easy now… it's all right…"

"I hope you're done now, young lady." Chrom sighed as he approached the two of them. Lucina paled when she heard her father's voice. "I heard every word Lucina. And I know your heart is in the right place. But I trust Robin, and you cannot shake my faith in him. Robin and I… we've held fast through good times and ill… and we swore to be two halves of a greater whole. And you underestimate the strength of those ties… the bonds we share. I believe them far more than some foretold 'destiny'."

"That's easier for you to say when you haven't looked death in the eye yourself." Lucina mumbled as she wiped away tears from her eyes.

"Lucina, aren't our ties stronger now than in your timeline?" Chroma asked. "You said so yourself. In this flow of time, we seem to be bound tighter than ever. And not just Robin and me. The two of us as well. Not just as father and daughter, but as… friends. And isn't that the entire point? You came back so that you can change the future, and you already have. And we can certainly do it again. Even if something happened in the past, it's still possible for us to change the future now that we know what will happen. We can change the future through other means. You don't have to kill him in order to achieve your goal."

"I...you're right." Lucina finally conceded as she pushed Robin's arms away and stood up. "P-please excuse me."

Lucina ran away towards her tent, not wanting to admit to herself that she had almost taken Robin's life.

"Who would've thought she would act this way?" Chrom chuckled. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to keep her from knowing the plan."

"No." Robin shook his head as he picked himself up. "This type of thing is exactly why we don't want her to know in the first place. It shows that she is prone to act irrationally based on a sudden change in feelings. And the fewer people know of these things, the better. There's no reason for us to tell Lucina if we are also withholding information from Sumia and the others as well. Although it pains me to say this, but we really do need to keep her in the dark on this one… until we reveal the plan that is."

"And what if she had actually killed you?" Chrom chuckled. "What then?"

"That… would have been truly unfortunate." Robin admitted. "Although… I was being serious. If she wanted my life… she can have it. And what she was saying certainly did have its merits. If I were really your murderer in her timeline, then the safest way to prevent your death is if I were dead before I can get to you. Although I'd certainly prefer to be alive when we save the world too. But even if I were killed, I've already outlined the entire plan for you. I have faith that you'd be able to get the Emblem and the gemstone and perform the Awakening."

"Robin, Robin, Robin…" Chrom shook his head. "Well… at least I can put all my concerns to rest… at least… the concerns about you not treating her well."

"What does THAT mean?" Robin asked.

"Don't you realize what the two of you just admitted?" Chrom burst into laughter. "Setting aside for a moment that she straight up told you that she loves you, you also said that she can have your life if she wanted it. That sounds like you two just admitted to loving each other."

"Chrom…" Robin growled as he began to blush furiously. It was even more awkward considering that he was Lucina's father.

"Someday when all of this is over…" Chrom continued, ignoring his friend's threatening tone. "I think you should marry her. You both would clearly be happy about it." He began to walk away. "Just something to think about."

Robin sighed as he watched Chrom walk towards his own tent. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

**With Lucina…**

Lucina stormed towards her tent as fast as she possibly could without causing alarm to the other in the camp. She barely had time to register Laurent's question of 'did you do it?' as she moved past her friends. However, she was able to shake her head so profusely that they understood her.

Noire fainted out of relief. She had begun to prepare herself for the worst upon seeing the look of despair on Lucina's face, and the accumulating amounts of stress finally got to her. Fortunately for her, Gerome caught her falling figure before it hit the ground.

Once she reached her tent, Lucina quickly tore off her armor and dove onto the bedroll. She was so glad there was a pillow for her to cry into.

'What have I done?' Lucina thought to herself. 'I almost _killed _him! After everything he's done for me, I almost killed him! After all this time, I finally was able to… *sob* get close to him… but I just threw it all away in one day because I overreacted…"

Lucina felt miserable, that much was for sure. Even after her eyes became puffy from crying, she still couldn't stop. She debated finding Robin so that she could apologize, but every time she almost gets enough courage to do so, she imagines all sorts of negative reactions he might have to her apology, which stops her in her tracks. Then she'd cry some more until she gains a little more courage, repeating the cycle.

In the blink of an eye, several hours passed. However, to Lucina, it had felt like 15 minutes. Needless to say, she was surprised when the tent flap opened.

Robin walked in, and began to shed his coat.

"R-robin!" Lucina exclaimed in alarm. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? This is my tent, isn't it?"

"Oh… right." Lucina blushed in embarrassment. She was so distracted that she had even forgotten that they'd been sharing a tent for quite some time now. She avoided his gaze while Robin made his way over to the bedroll. He sat down next to her on top of it.

"...Listen…" Lucina began. "...I… I'm…"

"Don't worry about it." Robin wrapped one arm around her and pulled her in. "I know you just lost the ability to think rationally for a little bit. We all have our moments of weakness. Please don't let it keep you up. For now, let's just get some rest."

"But aren't you at least a little bit concerned?" Lucina asked as the two of them laid back. She rested her head on his chest. "I tried to _kill _you! You're not even scared that I'll kill you in your sleep tonight?"

"You're not the only one that's been after my life." Robin chuckled. "And, quite frankly, I should be as scared about you taking my life in my sleep just as much as you should be worried that I'd murder you in yours."

"Yeah, except you'd actually have a good reason to do that…" Lucina mumbled.

"Well I'd never do something like that to you." Robin responded. "But you're the first person that I would let kill me. If that's what you think needs to happen, then I won't stop you. I meant what I said. And after all, dying in my sleep is probably one of the nicer ways to die anyways."

"H-how can you even say that?" Lucina asked as she began to tear up. "Aren't you afraid at all about dying?"

"Strangely, no." Robin admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be a waste if I just got killed for absolutely no reason, but if my death means I'll get to protect your future… then I don't think I'd really mind. And… I've already been nearly there once before, so I'm not really afraid of it."

"Why!?" Lucina asked, hitting Robin lightly with her fist. "You can't just… how can you say that so nonchalantly?"

"I can say that because it's how I feel." Robin replied. "You're probably one of the most, if not the most important person in my life right now. And I know if my death can secure you a happy future, I also know that it would secure everyone's future as well. Chrom, Sumia, Frederick… Gaius, Gregor, Stahl… Brady, Cynthia… everyone, really. And when you look at it that way, one life is a very small price to pay."

"I… I don't deserve you." Lucina lamented. "I thought all of the Ylissean noblewomen were fools when I was a child. I thought that I would not take you for granted… and that I could treat you better than any of them ever could… but the truth is, I may be even worse than them."

"Stop…" Robin sighed. "Please, don't say that…"

"But it's true…" Lucina frowned. "None of them ever threatened to kill you. They might have seen you as just an opportunity to advance in society, but that's nowhere near as serious as attempted murder. What I did today is far worse than what any of them had done in the past."

"Lucina…" Robin growled.

"Honestly… I don't think there's a single woman in all of Ylisse that deserves someone like you." Lucina sighed. "You're so kind and gentle and smart… you can win a war without leaving any of the shepherds to die… meanwhile all I can do is swing around a sword… and I can't even do the simple task of pointing it in the right direction…"

"Lucina!" Robin finally lost his temper, tightening his grip around Lucina suddenly. Her eyes shot open in surprise. "I don't care whether or not you think you deserve me or not. I just know that I WANT to be there for you. I WANT to be able to take care of you. I WANT to keep you safe and happy. So there's no use for self deprecation… someone like you shouldn't feel bad about all that you've already accomplished." Robin sighed. "I don't have any idea exactly what you had to go through. But I know that whatever you saw and experienced… it scarred you forever…"

Lucina silently sobbed, his words ringing true.

"And so I understand why someone so stressed and so emotionally broken might have a sudden moment of weakness." Robin continued. "It caused you to act based on your emotions, and your emotions happened to decide that the way you'll save the future is by killing me. And so I don't blame you for it. However, if you ask me, I think that it's possible to have a beautiful future without me having to die."

"I know…" Lucina mumbled. "I was wrong. And although I feel like I can't even justify it… I'd like to ask for you to forgive me."

"I already have." Robin replied almost instantly.

There was silence in the tent for a few minutes, save for the occasional sniffle from Lucina.

"Lucina… there's something that I need to ask you…" Robin finally said, breaking the silence.

"Wh-what?" Lucina asked.

"After all of this is over…" Robin sighed as he braced himself for what he was about to say. "What would you think about getting married?"

Lucina was shocked speechless for a moment. "A-are you s-serious!?" she finally stammered.

"Yeah." Robin replied. "Well? What do you think?"

"Even though I almost killed you earlier today…" Lucina sighed. "Yet you still are willing to give me a chance…"

"So…" Robin waited expectantly.

"I think… I think I'd really like to get married." Lucina finally replied, biting her bottom lip. "And regardless of what you say, I really don't think I deserve it. But since you're so generous… I really can't say no. But I promise… I'll do my best to rightfully earn your forgiveness. From now on, I won't doubt you ever again. I'll love you with all my heart."

"And I shall return it to you tenfold." Robin chuckled. "And… I'll be sure to ask you properly at that time too. And I'll have a ring ready. I… really didn't expect to be bringing this up tonight. You'll have to excuse me for that one."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to be mad at you anyways, considering the circumstances." Lucina giggled for the first time that evening. Even though she still felt remorse for what she had attempted to do, there was no way she could hold down all of the happiness that was welling up inside of her.

"Then I'm extremely happy." Robin sighed in relief. "Now I really HAVE to live until the day we secure our future. But… in order to do that, we'll need a good night's rest. Tomorrow will be a very important step in that direction."

"Yeah…" Lucina agreed. "And Robin… thank you… for everything. Thank you for forgiving me."

Robin nodded. Once again, the tent was silent, and both its inhabitants gradually fell asleep.

'Robin, you are so much stronger than me…' was Lucina's last thought as she began to drift off. 'While I may have brushed by death, you dove straight into its stomach. And not only did you emerge alive, but you're not even afraid to go in a second time… if only I had that sort of strength…'

**The Following Day…**

Chrom appeared to take charge, and decided that the shepherds were going to march back to Validar and take the Emblem back. Robin figured that the shepherds would be anxious about receiving orders from him considering the previous day, so they set things up to make it look like it was all Chrom's idea. To be fair, Chrom was a pretty decent actor, and Frederick was an even better supporting role. They didn't do or say anything out of the realm of their capabilities that would have made anyone suspect that Robin was the real puppet master pulling on the strings.

Their original plan was to rush back to Castle Dohlr, but they had found that the Plegians had completely abandoned their castle. Some quick reconnaissance by Sumia and Cordelia made them realize that most Plegians were all moving towards a location in their Southeastern direction. If it weren't for the fact that there was a war looming between the two nations once again, the sight of the vast number of pilgrims might have been remarkable.

The shepherds began to move in the same direction as well. Along the way, they reached a small town where the streets were packed full of Plegians attempted some eerie looking pilgrimage.

"Um, excuse me sir?" Lissa asked one of the Plegians. "Is there a reason why everyone is moving so slowly?"

The Plegian didn't even look up at her. "...the appointed time… to the Dragon's Table… our prayers… Lord Grima…"

"Riiiiight…." Lissa began to slowly back away from the seemingly entranced Plegian towards where Chrom and the rest of the shepherds were. "Well, thanks for your time, but I gotta go! Bye!"

She quickly rushed into a startled Lon'qu's arms.

"Sire!" Frederick called.

"What have you found?" Chrom asked.

"It seems Validar has moved to a great altar to Grima known as the Dragon's Table." The Great Knight responded. "What's more… it seems all of the Grimleal in Plegia are headed there as well. It's almost as if they're being drawn by some unseen force…"

"Any idea what their plan is?" Chrom asked.

"Who can say, Sire?" Frederick shrugged. "They speak only gibberish and plod on as if possessed."

"The cataclysm in Lucina's future…" Chrom muttered. "This shows all the signs of leading up to it. Shepherds, we make for this Dragon's Table! Quickly, come everyone!"

The shepherds quickened their marching speed and even began to shove the entranced Plegians out of the way if they prevented their progress. After getting out of the small town, they were once again able to have room to freely move around and march towards the Dragon's Table.

As they began to near the Dragon's Table, a sandstorm began to brew. This slowed down their progress, but didn't completely stop it.

Eventually, a large building that resembled a temple appeared in the distance. On the steps leading towards its interior, the shepherds could make out two figures.

"Validar!" Chrom spat. "We need to stop him!"

When the shepherds reached within earshot of Validar, the sorcerer turned to face them.

"Fools!" Validar smirked. "Don't you know where you have come?"

"Return the Emblem now, and we can end this!" Chrom retorted.

"End this?" Validar laughed. "My dear boy… we both know exactly how this story will end! And yet you still rush here… are you really that eager to meet the Fell Dragon yourself? Or perhaps your own fatal destiny… you would have that realized first?"

"To hell with your destiny bullshit." Chrom spat. "I'm writing my own ending."

"So you believe you can change fate?" Aversa asked, amusement dripping from her voice. "And here I thought your exalted sister had illusions of grandeur…"

"We've done it already." Chrom retorted, sneaking a smirk towards Robin, who gave him a small nod in response.

"Your victory towards Gangrel?" Aversa snorted. "Or perhaps Walhart's defeat? Those were meant to be. They were preordained. You are just another fool in motley, capering on the stage!"

"B-but… Emmeryn!" Lissa pointed out.

"You changed the method of her death." Aversa shrugged. "But in the end, she was firmly planted into the ground."

"But that was Gangrel's will." Frederick countered. "Not yours, not Validar's."

"All of this has been orchestrated." Aversa raised her arms. "Gangrel certainly wanted to be alive for this day, but in reality, he is something extremely significant. His death did more for the Fell Dragon than in life. It caused despair among the commoners, driving the masses towards Grima. Now their life force can all be fed to the Great Dragon en masse!"

"You don't mean…" Chrom paled slightly.

"It is called a Table for a reason, you naive little man." Aversa chuckled. "It is where Grima feeds! The Grimleal have gladly offered themselves to him for ages! Even now, they pray for his return. Today, his table overflows with bounty, and their prayers will be answered!"

"How could anyone willingly give their life to that… thing?" Lucina exclaimed in disbelief. "How could anyone willingly give their life to that monster?"

"I'll never allow that to happen!" Chrom shouted.

"But it WILL happen!" Validar cackled. "This moment was set in stone over a millenia ago!"

"I will stop you!" Chrom declared. "I will stop Grima!"

"Goodness!" Aversa fanned her face mockingly. "Now you're starting to sound a lot like Walhart. That big bully… he intended to destroy Grima as well. Our thanks. You managed to take him off the stage for us."

"So that's why you gave us gold and ships, but no soldiers…" Chrom said in realization, a lightbulb seemingly went off in his head. "So that you could have us get rid of him, while saving the loyal Plegians and setting your god's table!"

"Aversa, it is time." Validar said resolutely as he began to walk inside the temple. "I must prepare. Take good care of our guests for me, will you?"

"Of course." Aversa purred before turning back towards the shepherds once he had completely disappeared inside. "Master Validar is not to be disturbed. But fear not, I have brought the Deadlords to keep you entertained! These twelve generals were great warriors in life, and even greater now in death!"

As she spoke, Aversa raised a purple colored crystal, prompting the sand in front of her to violently swirl up. After several moments, the small tornadoes of sand settled down to reveal twelve menacing looking Risen. Even from a slight distance, Chrom could tell that these Risen were far more dangerous than the ones they had faced so far.

"Is that all!?" Vaike scoffed. "They're only twelve of them. Even if they're strong, they'll be no problem for the shepherds!"

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Aversa chuckled. "After all, what would a general be without their army?"

As if on cue, each of the twelve deadlords seemed to led out a battle cry. The sand in front of each of them began to sink into the ground, and after a brief moment of delay, dozens of Risen began to claw their way out from the sand. As soon as one batch of soldiers crawled out, another group began to claw their way up as well. It didn't look like there was an end in sight.

"Naga above!" Frederick cried out in alarm.

"Do you really think this is the first time Grima has used this table?" Aversa asked. "Below the sand is the largest necropolis in the history of our continent! Willing or not, the dead here all can be reanimated for the purpose of serving Grima. What do you think, young Exalt? How do you feel about your chances now?"

The shepherds began to feel some sweat beginning to form as Chrom seemed to be speechless. If what Aversa was saying was true, doesn't that mean they stand little chance of being able to make their way inside? And even if some of them do, won't there be swarms of Grimleal in there to protect Validar anyways? Had they lost?"

A Wyvern's cry could be heard from behind them.

The majority of the shepherds turned to see a large number of soldiers marching towards them, as well as a large platoon of Wyverns soaring to their location as well.

"Reinforcements!?" Ricken complained. "Why now?"

Chrom, however, snuck Robin a glance. Seeing Robin give him the thumbs up, he began to let out a chortle.

"What's wrong, Exalt?" Aversa returned the laughter. "Have you gone senile?"

This was just on the outside, however. On the inside, she was just as confused as the shepherds. Validar didn't mention any reinforcements to her, so in reality, she was just as confused about the identities of the soldiers approaching.

"I remember you said something about Walhart being a hindrance to your plan." Chrom taunted Aversa. "So we've simply set up the opportunity for the two of you to get acquainted."

Sure enough, as the soldiers began to draw near, the shepherds were able to notice that they were not wearing Plegian armor. In fact, it was extremely easy to notice the rider leading the pack. His crimson red armor was extremely difficult to miss, after all.

The shepherds let out a cheer when they began to realize that these people were not Plegian reinforcements, but were actually their allies. In fact, the Wyvern platoon, being able to travel the fastest, arrived first, reuniting the shepherds with two of their closest friends.

"My, my." Cherche giggled as Minerva landed. "This is quite the welcome party you have for us. I've been sharpening my axe for a while now, and my darling Minerva has been eager to come out and play as well."

"Salutations, friends!" Virion exclaimed as he dismounted from Minerva. "Rosanne is here to show our unwavering support!"

"Your timing could not have been more perfect." Robin chuckled.

The shepherds began to look around, and found that aside from Robin, Chrom and Frederick, everyone seemed bewildered by what was happening. It was safe to conclude that no one else but these three knew that this would happen.

"You planned this." Lucina said accusingly, staring directly at Robin. This only earned her a shrug from the tactician.

"Well, we would have arrived even sooner, if it weren't for Walhart." Virion pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "The big lobster insisted that we all march together. His calvary moves across this sand slower than a dismembered turtle. Truly unfortunate, really. I suppose that arriving right now should suffice though."

"We brought some of Rosanne's finest, even though our numbers are few." Cherche smiled. "But we also have Walhart and his best men, as well as Say'ri and the best warriors among the Chon'sin."

"How long…" Lissa breathed in awe. "I mean… it must take a long time to get here, right?"

"Oh yes!" Cherche agreed. "Robin and Chrom gave instructions to everyone it would seem. For us, we began preparations as soon as you all left Rosanne. I imagine it was the same for everyone else. It did slow down repairs and reparations, but saving the world DOES have priority…"

By now, Aversa had begun to shake from nervousness.

"Attack!" She ordered.

The Risen began to swarm towards the shepherds like some very, very angry bees.

"Mages prioritize the sides!" Robin called out. "The armored units can block the ones charging directly at us, but we're all in danger if we get surrounded."

As a result, their magic users were able to prevent them from being encircled by hitting the Risen with unrestrained area of effect spells wherever they tried to go around their defensive line. They didn't need to be worried about hitting their allies after all. Why not wipe them all out in one spell if you were able to?

With their morale at an all time high, the shepherds, along with the Rosannese, met their charge. At first, it seemed like the battle was at a standstill. While the shepherds' side clearly had an advantage in skill, the Risen had the advantage in numbers. Every Risen knocked aside was immediately replaced by another, and then another, and then another. At the same time, the Risen couldn't properly injure or kill any of the frontline shepherds either. They could only keep up the assault and hope that one of the shepherds makes a mistake.

That mistake never came. The shepherds managed to hold on until the Valmese and company arrived. Cherche wasn't exaggerating. Compared to Valm and Chon'sin, the Rosannese force was extremely small, comprising of only a platoon of Wyvern Riders. In contrast, Valm and Chon'sin had come prepared to fight an entire war, it seemed. Their soldiers integrated smoothly into the already formed defensive line.

Once Walhart's axe touched a Risen, Aversa knew that it was only a matter of time. Most of the soldiers from Chon'sin and Valm immediately ran to help maintain the defensive line, but Walhart charged directly into the Risen without regard for safety. Every stroke of his axe felled half a dozen Risen, and many more were trampled under the feet of his great warhorse. Arrows, swords and axes failed to even scratch his bright, red armor.

Frederick didn't think he was weak by any means. In fact, he always took pride in being one of the strongest, even among the shepherds. However, he couldn't help but stare at Walhart in awe.

"He is strong." Lon'qu agreed, noticing the Great Knight's gaze. "Really glad he's on our side this time."

"Almost makes you wonder how we even defeated him in the first place." Frederick chuckled to himself. "That man was made for war. He even looks like he's enjoying himself."

After taking another moment to appreciate Walhart's skill, Frederick shook his head to clear it, and returned to butchering some more of the Risen himself.

After a few moments of fighting, Chrom began to realize that they were fighting back the swarms of Risen. With the addition of reinforcements, they could cut down more Risen than the deadlords could summon. The small injuries that the Risen were able to deal to them were quickly wiped away by the skilled healers among the shepherds. Many of them had time to spare between treating injuries as well. Maribelle was able to launch an Arcwind or two at some of the grouped up Risen, while Lissa was able to get some live practice with her Bolt Axe.

Things began to change as Walhart closed in towards the deadlords. When he drew near, two of the deadlords, a Paladin and a Ranger stopped summoning Risen. The ground closed back up in front of the two as they pulled out their weapons to engage Walhart.

For the first time in a long time, Walhart began to feel the thrill of challenge. These deadlords didn't mess around. He could definitely take the Paladin in a one on one duel, but the problem right now is that said Paladin had an expert Ranger backing him up. Many times, Walhart tried to take advantage of an opening to finish the Paladin, but he was forced back by a well timed and well aimed arrow every time.

Eventually, he realized that he was getting nowhere in this fight. After knocking aside the Paladin, Walhart charged the Ranger. To his dismay, the Ranger didn't attempt to flee. Instead, it just drew its own sword and charged Walhart. Even if the Ranger's first choice of weaponry was the sword, it still wouldn't have posed a challenge for Walhart, but now we also had to deal with the fact that the Paladin was breathing down his neck as well.

"Nephew!" Walhart roared as he found himself stuck in deadlock with the two deadlords. "Ya gettin' this?"

"Loud and clear!" Walhart heard the voice of Robin call back.

Due to the fact that two of the deadlords had to stop summoning Risen, the stress on the rest of their soldiers had been greatly reduced. Furthermore, Robin was able to surmise that they could stop the Risen from being summoned by fighting the deadlords directly. He quickly barked out orders, and many of the best shepherds began to slowly fight their way towards him. The Valmese and Chon'sin soldiers caught on quickly, and began to fill the gaps left by them.

"What's the plan?" Chrom asked as he ducked behind Kellam's figure. The General was busy holding back a group of Risen, and was taking up the duty of two frontliners in order to buy the Exalt some time to speak with Robin.

"We need to break through the Risen with some of our best." Robin explained. "If we can occupy the deadlords, they won't be able to keep summoning Risen. Walhart is currently fighting two of them at once."

"Sounds good." Chrom nodded. "I'm assuming the ones you want for this operation are the ones you called over?"

"You know me too well." Robin smirked. "Shall we then?"

"After you." Chrom politely gestured towards the Risen.

"Stahl, Sully, Frederick, carve a path for us through them!" Robin ordered. "The designated shepherds will follow in their footsteps. Valmese and Chon'sin soldiers, fill the gap we leave behind. Wyverns of Rosanne, help cover them from the air while they're getting into position!"

A chorus of affirmations far louder than anything Robin had ever heard rang in his ears. This time, it wasn't just the calls of two nations, but that of four. And he knew that soon there will be a fifth. It caused adrenaline to course through his veins.

The three best riders among the shepherds separated the sea of Risen in their charge, allowing Robin, Chrom, Lucina, as well as several other shepherds to run past the swarm of Risen in the path cleared by their cavaliers. It was tricky for the riders to go fast enough to maintain momentum, but slow enough for the people behind them to follow closely enough so that the Risen could not converge around them again fast enough. Fortunately for them, Sumia was in the air, clearly away large swathes of Risen with her spells, and not letting any of her friends be overwhelmed as they ran through the sea of death.

When they finally cleared the Risen army, the shepherds charged straight towards the deadlords.

Chrom engaged in the closest one to him: a Swordmaster. However, to his dismay, Chrom found that the Swordmaster was both faster and more powerful than himself. He was slowly being pushed back. Fortunately, time was on his side. All he had to do was stay alive, and the Risen army would not be able to replenish itself.

Despite being stronger than Chrom, the Swordmaster had trouble keeping up when Lucina began to help him. Together, the two of them were able to slowly turn the tides on the Swordmaster. However, it was still very back and forth. Neither side seemed to be able to completely overwhelm the other.

After a minute or two of intense exchanges, the two sides finally broke apart. Chrom and Lucina were standing shoulder to shoulder with their backs facing the army of Risen. They were both panting hard. However, the Swordmaster didn't seem to be very fatigued at all. It seems that this was one of the perks of being undead.

"We just need to hold on." Chrom told his daughter encouragingly. "Just buy time for the others."

Lucina grunted to show that she understood.

Chrom took the opportunity to take a glance at the others. It would seem that these deadlords were extremely powerful. Shepherds in teams of three were still having some trouble fighting a single deadlord. There were only three people on their side that seemed to be doing fine against the deadlords.

The first was Walhart. Although he couldn't defeat the two deadlords he was fighting, he wasn't losing against them either. Considering the combined might of Chrom and Lucina was just enough for a single deadlord, this was an extremely astonishing feat in and of itself.

The second was Robin. He seemed to be fighting toe to toe with one of the deadlords just fine. Chrom could even see that Robin held the advantage. However, his opponent was a War Cleric, so while he wasn't denying Robin's strength, Robin probably also had a fairly easy opponent. At least in terms of a one on one.

The third, and the one that gave Chrom the most hope was Morgan. She had managed to get into slashing distance of the deadlord Sage. Even from a distance, Chrom could tell that the young girl's knife work was like a blur: the actions were too fast to be distinguished by eyes. He witnessed the final moments of the fight as Morgan slashed the deadlord to pieces, before darting towards her father to lend a helping hand.

"Father!" Lucina exclaimed as she shoved the still dazed Chrom out of the way of the next strike. As soon as Chrom picked himself off the ground, he saw that Lucina was struggling against the Swordmaster in a deadlock.

"Just hold on a little longer." He told himself. "This is a won battle. We just need to hold on a little longer."

Chrom picked up Falchion and rejoined the fray…

**Moments Later…**

After Morgan and Robin had defeated their two deadlords, they went over to help free Walhart from the two he was currently fighting. After these four deadlords fell, the battle was pretty much decided. With every deadlord that fell, a portion of the pressure on the rest of their allies disappeared. Eventually, all of the Risen in front of the temple had vanished into purple smoke.

The shepherds and the rest of their allies took a moment to regroup. Everyone was panting or short of breath. Some chose to rest by sitting down, despite the scorching sand, while others chose to lean on their weapons or mounts for support. The important part was that they had managed to defeat the deadlords. However, Aversa was nowhere in sight.

"Did Aversa go inside?" Chrom wondered out loud.

"I think so." Robin replied. "And that's not good news for us. She wouldn't leave Validar unless his preparations are complete."

"We have to stop them!" Lucina exclaimed. "Our future is almost upon us!"

"Right." Robin nodded grimly. "I know we're all tired right now, but we really need to go inside. There's still a chance for us to stop him. Just hold on for a little bit longer everyone."

His allies nodded in understanding and began to pick themselves up one by one. Chrom made a gesture, and they all headed for the temple.

**Author's Notes:**

**It's been a fairly long time since the last upload, but unfortunately there has been some things called "midterms" that I had to deal with recently. The important thing is that the chapter is finished now!**

**This chapter featured one of the most iconic scenes in Awakening, and is honestly one solid piece of evidence that indicates to me that Lucina/Robin (regardless of Robin's gender) is canon. If M/F Robin had little/no relation to Lucina, then this scene pretty much loses its meaning. But if Robin is her spouse or mother, then all of a sudden the scene is one of the most significant in the game.**

**As I had mentioned in the summary, much of this story had been inspired by Cold Tea by dualbloodlines. That was the first story I have read in which the deadlords were able to summon other Risen. And I agree completely: The level with just 12 opponents doesn't make sense, which is why the deadlords in my story are also able to summon Risen.**

**Also, unless I'm mistaken, with the addition of this chapter, this story has crossed the 300k word threshold (numbers can be difficult sometimes). Back when I started writing this story, I certainly didn't expect for it to reach this point, but it is also definitely a pleasant surprise. Thanks to everyone who reads/follows/reviews this story. It has definitely inspired me to continue writing.**

**Awakening is almost over, but there's more in the works. :)**


	41. Invisible Ties

**The Dragon's Table…**

As the shepherds made their way inside the temple, they could see Validar by himself, next to what seemed like an altar. When most of their allies had made their way inside, hundreds of Plegian Elites began flooding in from the back entrance, directly across from them. Validar, seeming to finally have noticed Chrom and the others, turned around and grinned.

"Chrom…" Validar purred. "Come to witness the glorious culmination of your failure? I have the completed Fire Emblem, and the Dragon's Table is also set for a great feast. I will return Grima to this world!"

"You'll DESTROY this world!" Chrom protested. "Lucina has seen it!"

"Then I only pray that today's spectacle lives up to her nightmares!" Validar countered. "You know, the Awakening rite isn't something only for the exalts and the Divine Dragon. I too, can use it to rouse Grima! The Fell Dragon only needs a mortal vessel, which you have also kindly brought before me."

"You mean… me." Robin cautiously said.

"You ken quickly, Robin." Validar nodded in satisfaction. "That's my boy! The soul of the Fell Dragon slumbers within you. And now the time has come to Awaken you both!"

"I don't think so." Robin replied resolutely, enough amongst murmurs and whispers from the rest of his allies.

"Oh but you must!" Validar insisted. "You see, the Grimleal have worked for many generations in order to create someone like you… A vessel worthy of our master. Simply having Grima's blood in your veins isn't enough… My father was not worthy, and neither was I. But you? You have all the makings! You alone are worthy enough to accept the most sacred gift from Grima!"

Robin was slightly taken aback by Validar's words. The sorcerer mistook his hesitation for interest.

"Think about it!" Validar continued. "All we need now is your cooperation! It's fate that you would be here in front of us tonight! This is PROOF of your purpose! Just come over to our side, and the Grimleal will not only assist you, but they will WORSHIP you!"

"You've proven NOTHING!" Chrom spat back. "Robin and I… together, we WILL stop you. This can be stopped. YOU can be stopped!"

"Quiet, boy!" Validar snarled. "I wasn't talking to you. You may have killed me in some future's past, but I am stronger this time. With the power of the Dragon's Table flowing through me, as well as the allegiance of my son, I am unstoppable!"

"I'm not your son." Robin replied coldly. "My life did not begin with you. My life began that day when I woke up in the field. I have been all over this continent, and I have been all over Valm, helping change the world for the better. Our united army is proof of this fact. I have laughed and fought and BLED for my friends, and THAT is what matters! Not some shifty charlatan who claims that destroying the world is for the good of all!"

"You've been brainwashed, it seems." Validar shook his head dejectedly. "You have your father's courage, but your mother's judgement, unfortunately. Very well, pup. Come! After all, there is no damage that I can do to you that the Fell Dragon cannot repair!"

Validar began chanting, and within seconds, a disorientating wall of magic rose up from the ground and separated Chrom and Robin from the rest of the shepherds. They were, after all, the most forward among the shepherds.

Robin turned around and knocked on the wall with the back of his hand. Despite knowing that it was created out of magic, it still felt as solid as if it were made out of bricks. Not only that, but aside from the magical energy that distorts a portion of his vision once in a while, the wall looked like purple colored glass.

He was not the only one who was interested in said wall. When the moment of confusion subsided, Lucina was the first to run up to it, in an attempt to make it through the barrier. When she realized that she couldn't make it through, she began to swing her sword against it, but to no avail. Even though she was not making any progress, Lucina also couldn't bring herself to stop either. After all, her father and Robin were both stuck on the other side with Validar. Although she had faith in the two of them, and they had a numerical advantage, it wouldn't make sense for Validar to create this scenario unless he were confident in being able to gain an advantage, after all.

Finally after giving up, Lucina gritted her teeth in frustration. However, Robin on the other side seemed to let out a chuckle. He held up his hand to the wall, prompting Lucina to also do the same with her own.

"We'll be fine." Lucina saw Robin mouth to her. "Go help."

With that, Robin pointed towards Lucina's right side. The wall seemed to be the signal for the Grimleal to charge at them, and Lucina was so focused on breaking through the wall, that she didn't realize that the fighting on their side had already started.

"Be careful." Lucina warned, and she only left after confirming that Robin heard, or at least understood what she said in the form of a nod.

"It looks like it's just you and me." Chrom chuckled dryly as he unsheathed Falchion. "Personally, it's two against one. I don't know about you, but I think the odds are quite favorable for us."

"I agree." Robin nodded as he drew weapons of his own. This moment, to a certain extent, almost felt familiar to him. He had a dream that was eerily similar to this situation in the past, after all. "Together?"

"Together." Chrom nodded in confirmation, and the two began their assault on Validar.

**Outside the barrier…**

Kellam, as usual, was in the thick of combat, tanking for his comrades behind his heavy shield and suit of armor. At this point, he could already be considered a seasoned veteran to combat, and he could tell that these Plegians were anything but that. Their attacks felt far weaker than Walhart's calvary, and he felt like he wouldn't even need to break a sweat at this point.

The quiet giant looked to his side and found that Frederick was next to him, eagerly gutting enemy after enemy with his lance, without a hint of remorse or hesitation across his face.

"This isn't like you, Frederick." Kellam spoke between thrusts of his own lance.

"What isn't like me?" Frederick even had the energy to laugh back. "Are you saying I don't belong in combat?"

"No, not that." Kellam responded as he fended off another round of arrows. "It's just… the old you would probably be worried to death about Chrom by now. After all, he is fighting an enemy while being completely separated from the rest of us."

"He'll be fine." Frederick responded, which further startled the Armored General. It turns out, Frederick didn't have a sudden memory lapse. He was genuinely unconcerned. "Chrom has been through worse. And after all, doesn't he have Robin with him as well?"

"...Right…" Kellam sweatdropped. He didn't believe that Frederick of all people would so easily forget what Validar was capable of doing to Robin the last time the shepherds encountered him.

"Besides…" Frederick followed up. "There's not much we can do if we are separated by that wall. Our best way to help milord is to get rid of these Plegians before that wall comes down."

"You finally said a sensible thing." Kellam agreed wholeheartedly and went back to focusing on tanking for his teammates.

**Cordelia's Perspective…**

The interior of the temple was extremely spacious. Cordelia was extremely thankful that she had room to maneuver her pegasus. The difficult part was paying attention to all of the enemy archers.

Fortunately for her, the responsibility was shared between many people. Cherche and the Rosannese all helped her with this task, and Sumia would also prioritize hitting archers before anyone else. Arrows were a huge risk for her falicorn, after all.

Whenever she deemed it was safe enough, Cordelia would dive towards an unsuspecting Grimleal and run them through with her lance. The pair would immediately climb in altitude once again after the sneak attack was over. The moment her back was to the Plegians when she was still close to the ground was when Cordelia was most vulnerable, but thankfully, Virion was able to cover her with a couple well aimed arrows. As soon as Cordelia reached a safe height, the Sniper would turn his bow towards the direction of their other flying allies.

Cordelia smirked. Of all of the ranged attackers they had, perhaps Virion was the one most accustomed to cooperating with fliers. This type of experience was invaluable to them at this time.

"It's been quite a while…" Cherche laughed as she pulled Minerva up besides Aurora. "Minerva and I have missed this type of messy conflict quite a lot since you guys left Valm."

"I didn't realize we'd be working together again quite so soon myself." Cordelia replied. "How has rebuilding Rosanne been?"

"Virion hired some expert carpenters and stonemasons to help fix up our mansion, and the people of Rosanne have become more lively recently as well." Cherche replied cheerily. "It seems that taking the boot of the Valmese off the citizens' throats has done wonders for their optimism of the future. And also, Virion has been… oh look, what an opportunity!"

Cherche didn't bother finishing her thought and dove towards a Grimleal in a deadlock with Vaike. She brandished her axe, and moments later, her target's head was separated from his body.

"Perhaps she really was serious…" Cordelia chuckled to herself before readying her lance once again.

**Morgan's perspective…**

Morgan found herself in a slightly awkward position. She didn't have any trouble killing her opponents, as her weapons were quite deadly and she was far more agile than any regular twelve year old, or even professional assassins for that matter.

No, Morgan was slightly confused due to the hesitation and even fear that she felt coming from these Plegians standing before her. Some seemed to try and run away from her, while others attempted to converse with her. A few of them even looked relieved, up until she rushed up and eliminated them from the battle.

"You're fighting for the wrong side!" One of the Grimleal pleaded. "Please, use that weapon against the infidels, not us!"

"Really?" Morgan felt like her head hurt, but she slashed down the Grimleal nonetheless. "I'm pretty sure I'm attacking the right people though… Mama is on this side, and not that one after all…"

She wasn't even using her tome. After all, papa had told her that Genesis could potentially be difficult to use when fighting with allies in enclosed spaces, and so, Morgan resolved to fight using only her shortsword.

"I guess it doesn't matter what any of them are thinking." She shrugged as she flipped her sword to a reverse grip. "Since these guys are trying to kill papa and mama and their friends, I need to kill them first."

Morgan went back to darting around the battlefield, leaving slashes and slitting the throats of anyone unlucky enough for her to pass by.

**Brady's perspective…**

Brady, much like Lissa, Maribelle and the other healers, had their hands pretty full with work. After all, even if there were very few deaths among their comrades, there would always be a plethora of injuries that needed to be tended to. The reason their mortality rate was so low was precisely because their healers had the capability of bringing soldiers on the brink of death back to a relatively stable state.

However, unlike Lissa, Maribelle or even some of their secondary healers like Anna or Miriel, Brady didn't have any means of reliably defending himself. In the past, his best method of defence was to shout "Halp!" as loud as he could when a Risen got near him, hoping that one of his friends would come to his rescue. His backup plan was the bludgeon his assailant into oblivion with his staff. Although his friends had all poked fun at him, they quickly learned to stop doing so after getting their injuries patched up by him a few times.

Despite not being able to simply rush into the thick of things, Brady still was an invaluable asset to the shepherds. Since all he did was heal, his expertise in the subject rivaled even Lissa's. How could such a valuable healer be considered useless in conflicts resulting in blood?

The way his weakness was patched up was simple: his friends and allies would bring their injured companions to the very back of their formation, where Brady had essentially set up camp. Heck, he could've set up a tent if he wanted to do so. Although it is a little inconvenient for a perfectly capable fighter to leave the battle just to bring an injured ally to Brady, at the same time, one could argue that the frontlines were not the best place to receive adequate treatment. Anyone fighting on the frontlines would not object to this method, especially when it was clear that the other healers were busy.

The one most enthusiastic about doing the job of bringing Brady the injured was Yarne. In his beast form, he could pretty much carry any human swiftly from the front to Brady. Not only was he being useful, but Yarne also minimizes his own risk as well. Not a bad deal.

Cynthia, and occasionally Nah would also bring him the injured. Most of the time, it was soldiers that he did not recognize, but occasionally, he'd find himself tending to one of his friends, and once in a while, even one of the shepherds.

Being completely safe from their opponents, Brady was able to show off why his healing capabilities were invaluable. Barring any life threatening injuries, the soldiers he tended to were quickly able to rejoin the battle after just a few minutes of rest. One could even say that they fought with even more enthusiasm after realizing that it didn't matter if they got injured.

"Ah, I'm hit!" Yarne cried out in alarm as he transformed back into his human form and dropped off yet another soldier. Brady quickly hurried over.

"Looks like ya got done in good by an' axe!" Brady exclaimed after seeing the wound on his friend's back. "Gimme a second…"

"This is nothing!" Yarne lifted his head up high as Brady fumbled around for some healing ointment. "You should've seen the other guy! He's got an imprint of a rabbit's foot in his chest now. Better luck next time I say!"

Seeing his friend laughing it up, Brady couldn't help but let out a chuckle of his own. "Yer not afraid o' dyin'?"

"Nah, for some reason, I'm not." Yarne winced as Brady applied the ointment to the wound and began to channel his healing staff. "I guess maybe it's because I'm pumped full of adrenaline or somethin'. I dunno. I feel pretty good right now, even though normally I'd probably be panicking. Oh Naga, is this what combat feels like to everybody else?"

"How should I know?" Brady shrugged. "Yer guess is as good as mine."

Just then, a Manakete landed next to them. In a flash, Nah reverted to her human form. "Did one of you call for me?" she asked.

Yarne and Brady blinked a few times, looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

"What's wrong with these two?" Nah wondered as she tilted her head slightly.

**Henry's perspective…**

To any normal person, turning one's weapons against their own countrymen would have been a huge heartache. But this was clearly not the case for the happy-go-lucky sorcerer. In fact, he was giggling as he threw a combination of curses, hexes and dark magic towards his former countrymen.

"Nya ha! I still remember exactly how much of a killjoy you guys were!" Henry said when he recognized some of the Grimleal on the other side. "Now that we're finally fighting one another, you guys can see just how large of a mistake you've made!"

A Ruin spell threw towards the Plegians, throwing anyone in the vicinity into disarray.

"This is a lot more fun than training." Henry mused to himself. "They can't enforce the 'no blood' rule anymore now that I'm on THIS side."

"You traitor!" A Plegian who had obviously recognized him declared as he charged towards Henry. However, he didn't get far.

"Stop staring!" Olivia exclaimed as she shot an arrow towards this particular Plegian, hitting him directly in the chest. "It's very rude!"

"You… traitor…" The dying Plegian repeated as he lay on the ground.

Henry casually threw a flux spell in his general direction, silencing the Plegian for good. "Geez, it's like everyone here knows me or something…" he shamelessly muttered to himself.

**Lucina's perspective…**

Lucina tried to focus on the enemies right in front of her. Deep down, she knew that there was nothing she could do to help Robin and her father deal with Validar directly, and that the best way for her to contribute would be to kill the Grimleal in her way.

However, she could not stop herself from worrying. Her gut was trying to tell her that something was about to go very wrong, but she tried everything she could in order to ignore this feeling. Unfortunately, this showed in her fighting. Lucina had to deal with several close calls, and had to get bailed out by her friends and allies multiple times.

"Careful!" Kjelle scolded her after running a lance through the body of an assailant attempting to strike Lucina while her back was turned. "This is the third time today! Since when did you have so many openings in your fighting?"

"S-sorry." Lucina apologized sheepishly. "I guess I'm a bit distracted."

"I'll say." Kjelle retorted. "There's no point in worrying about Chrom if you don't make it out alive yourself."

"Y-yeah." Lucina nodded numbly. "I got it."

Kjelle made a good point. It was difficult, but Lucina managed to avert her attention from Chrom and Robin into the task on hand. Taking a deep breath, she was finally able to enter the correct mentality of being on the battlefield. When she began to focus, Lucina found that she no longer was struggling with dealing with her opponents.

Slowly but surely, the shepherds and their allies were pushing the Grimleal back, one step at a time.

Suddenly, magical energy shot out from the other side of the barrier. The shockwave was so large, that the ones fighting closest to the barrier were knocked off their feet, and both sides seemed to have called a ceasefire as everyone in the room reflexively turned to look at the spectacle on the other side.

Lucina and the shepherds had a large grin on their faces as they saw Robin blast Validar in the chest repeatedly with magical energy.

**Inside the barrier…**

Robin and Chrom began to fight against Validar at close range. This way, most of the advantage from the sorcerer was removed. To Robin's dismay, it was nearly identical to his dreams. Validar seemed to be empowered by some magical force so that he was far stronger than the last time they had fought. However, even Grima's blessings could not cause a human sorcerer to overpower two battle hardened close range fighters at arms' length.

As a result, Validar was forced to be on the defensive. Large amounts of magical energy covered his hands and forearms, making it seem like he was fighting with purple gauntlets. However, he was only able to repeatedly block Robin and Chrom's attacks, and was only able to throughout a single punch every once in a while. Even when he managed to create himself an opening, Robin was able to patch it up with a quick cast of his magic.

"Dealing with a physical combatant that can also expertly cast magic is quite troubling." Validar muttered to himself. "But no matter. If you are so eager to come to your death, then I shall oblige. Your death is already written."

"I'll tell you again." Chrom grunted as he swung down Falchion once again, causing Validar to have to block the strike. "I make my own future. And it's one that you won't live to see!"

"How resolute." Validar snickered. "How foolish."

Validar pushed Chrom away and sidestepped a swing from Robin's scythe. Without wasting a single motion, a tome materialized out of the air and he began to chant. Robin immediately threw a spell over, but he had underestimated Validar, and for the sake of speed, did not put enough power behind the spell. As a result, Validar took the hit, but his chanting was not interrupted.

'Not good!' Robin thought to himself. "Be careful Chrom!" He managed to yell out before Validar threw the ball of purple energy forming above his head towards the Ylissean Exalt.

Chrom didn't have enough time to dodge, and could only brace himself for the hit. Still, he was knocked off his feet and into the barrier. He let out a cry of pain, but began to stumble back onto his feet, albeit very slowly.

Robin, as if trying to fix his earlier mistake, immediately pounced on Validar. He picked up his speed, and sensing that Validar had exhausted a large amount of his energy in that last spell, was able to back the man into a corner.

"Robin, why do you insist on these games?" Validar asked, grabbing onto the blade of the scythe that was inches away from his face with his bare hands. Even with the protective magic surrounding his limbs, it still felt as if the weapon was cutting straight through his soul. "You only delay the inevitable. Have you considered what happens should I fall? These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well... Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?"

"I've never been alone." Robin shot back. "Not when I'm with my friends. They will stand by me, regardless of who I am. It took me a while, but it is something that I managed to learn. That is why I am willing to fight for them, and not for you."

"One day, your supposed 'friends' will turn on you." Validar prophesized. "That is also written, even if you succeed, should you choose to walk down this path. Why would you choose to help them knowing that they will betray you one day?"

Robin smirked. "Thanks for letting me know. Even someone who claims to be able to see the future knows that there's a possibility that I will succeed. I guess my odds are not that bad after all."

Validar gritted his teeth, knowing that he had made a mistake. "Humans are weak, pathetic creatures… Your bonds with them will bind you. You've been destined for a greater purpose, the GREATEST purpose! You are to be a GOD!"

Robin withdrew his scythe, and for the briefest moment, Validar mistakenly thought Robin had changed his mind. However, Robin instead pressed his arm to Validars chest, and pumped magical energy from his arm into Validar's body. He repeated the attack a couple more times. The sorcerer's entire frame shook from the impact, and he slumped to the ground.

"Not your god… and not today." Robin snarled. Seeing no response from Validar, Robin ran towards Chrom to help him.

Chrom, although struggling to walk steadily, managed to give Robin a cheeky grin. "We did it."

Robin smiled back, but sensing some magical energy behind him, reflexively pushed Chrom out of the way. Validar, who Robin had mistakenly judged as dead, had shot a bolt of darkness at the two of them, but it only managed to hit Robin. As he threw the spell, the barrier separating the three from the rest of the battle also began to disintegrate.

Seeing as Validar fell to the ground as soon as he finished casting the spell, Chrom hobbled over to help Robin up to his feet. "Are you all right? Thanks to you, we carried the day. At long last… we can rest easy now."

Then, Chrom's expression changed, for the worse. "Robin? What's wrong? Hey… hang on!"

In response, Robin grabbed Chrom's throat with a free hand, and began to channel magic energy. It was just a short moment, but everyone present could see lighting arc from Robin hand directly into Chrom's body. Traces of electricity sparked from his chest and appendages even after Robin removed his hand.

"This… is not your… fault." Chrom managed to get out before falling down. "Promise me… you'll get out of here…."

The inside of the temple was dead silent for several moments.

"Father… no!" Lucina was the one to break the silence. She immediately ran over to her father's crumpled body.

Upon seeing Lucina rush over, Cynthia immediately flew over as well. "Father! You can't die!"

Meanwhile, Robin had silently made his way to Validar's side, and the sorcerer was standing up once again, causing the Grimleal to cheer out of elation.

"With five Gemstones in hand, my magic knows no bounds." Validar smirked. "Robin is powerless to resist me. Do you see now Ylisseans? Humans bonds are worthless; they don't offer you anything."

"This can't be happening…" Lucina sobbed. "We were supposed to change this! Everything I have done… it was all worthless…"

"The hell it was!" A deep voice resounded throughout the temple.

"Wait… I know that voice…" some of the shepherds mumbled to themselves. They proceeded to stare in shock as in Basilio walked in, tailed by the Feroxi army. Some of them looked like they had just seen a ghost.

"Don't put any stock in this destiny hogwash!" Basilio declared confidently as he walked up to Lucina and the body of Chrom. "Let the dead whine about their fate! I choose to keep fighting! That's what life's about."

"K-khan Basilio!" Lucina exclaimed in surprise. "I-I thought… we all th-thought you were…"

"Worm food, back in Valm?" Basilio laughed. "Well, that almost happened. But I got out just fine, thanks to you. Once I took a couple of hits from Walhart, I knew I was not his opponent. Normally, pride would've had me dead before I'd even thought twice about it. But your warning gave me the courage to be a coward."

Basilio laughed at how ridiculous that sounded. "I played dead like a big, bald opossum! And it wasn't that hard either. The truth is, I almost WAS dead. You saved my life, Lucina. Had you not said anything, I'd have stood my ground against that monster and died on the spot."

Dozens of heads turned towards Walhart. Clearly Basilio didn't realize that the man that had 'killed' him was in the room as well. But contrary to everyone's expectations, Walhart didn't even look upset. If anything, he looked impressed by Basilio's tenacity.

"Oh, Basilio…" Tears came to Lucina's eyes. "But Father…"

"This does not matter!" Validar snarled. "This doesn't change a single thing! If you didn't die in Valm, you can die HERE instead!"

"Quiet, snake eyes!" Basilio pointed his axe towards Validar. "You're no Walhart. You're not as strong, or even as clever. You still haven't realized that you've been tricked."

"That bluff won't work on me." Validar chuckled. "You think I'm a fool?"

"To me, you may not be considered a fool." Basilio guffawed. "But compared to true geniuses, you are no more than an infant. For example, Robin predicted everything that would happen today. He saw it in a dream. This very fight with you."

"Wait… what?" Lucina murmured in confusion. Validar, as well as everyone else in the room, seemed equally as confused.

"Guess what else he saw in his dream?" Basilio continued. "The five Gemstones. He knew that Chrom couldn't bring the real ones here to Plegia. That would be like swinging a big, juicy steak right in front of destiny's choppers."

For a second, hope flickered in Lucina's eyes. But this brief moment was immediately destroyed by a laugh from Validar.

"A worthy bluff, you Feroxi fool!" Validar cackled. "However, it's ridiculous all the same. I've had people watching your merry little band since Carrion Isle. I know Robin hasn't touched the stones!"

Lucina looked up at Basilio expectantly.

"Maybe you watched their party, yes." Basilio admitted. "But you were only watching the people your men knew about. In other words, the live ones. But I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you weren't watching the 'dead' ones, were you? You weren't watching ME."

"No…" Validar's eyes shot open as he thought about it. "That's not possible… These… they have to be...!"

"Looks like it's starting to sink in." Basilio chuckled. "Now why would that be? Because of destiny? I think not. Robin had your destiny beat when he came up with this plan, weeks ago. The expression on your face… it makes all those long nights in hiding worth it!"

"None of this matters!" Validar swung his arm to his side. "Chrom is still dead. You're fate is sealed! Grima will… !"

Validar suddenly gasped in shock as a blade protruded out of his stomach.

"No!" Validar spat out a mouthful of blood. "Im...impossible… you cannot resist… Grima's power."

"Well I guess you'll have to voice your complaints to Grima then." Robin replied coldly from behind him. "... you can get up now."

"Huh?" Validar managed to look confused even with a grievous wound in his torso.

"Father! You're all right!" Lucina exclaimed in happiness, prompting many heads to turn towards her direction.

Chrom slowly sat up and rubbed his forehead with one hand. "What do you think Frederick? Just like how we practiced!"

"Pr-practiced!?" Cynthia squeaked in confusion.

"Spectacular acting milord." Frederick nodded in approval. "That spell Robin used… the visual effects were so powerful that even I was fooled!"

"N-no… this can't be… happening…" Validar voiced his complaints for the last time, before crumpling over. "Grima… save me…."

"Khan Basilio…" Lucina finally managed to gather her thoughts. "Does this mean… you all planned this moment? Since when?"

"Well, in short, this plan began ever since Robin found me back in Valm." Basilio laughed. "Even with exceptional foresight, I guess that Plegian bastard didn't see this one coming." He lifted his axe and pointed it at the Plegians. "Now stop starin' at me everyone… we still have to slaughter our way through all these Grimleal."

"We can talk things over once we get out of here." Chrom nodded in agreement as he placed a hand on Lucina's shoulder. "But I know what you must be worried about. I reassure you, Validar's mind control magic never posed a threat to Robin."

"Mm… All right." Lucina grinned, as a single tear of happiness fell down her face.

The following battle could not be any more one sided. The shepherds not only were more skilled, but they had the support of four other nations at their backs. Furthermore, the Grimleal seemed to have lost all hope following the fall of their leader. Soon, the inside of the Dragon's Table was littered with the corpses of the Plegians.

"So… is it over?" Yarne asked after the dust had settled. "Did we change the future?"

"I… think so?" Lucina said hesitantly. She couldn't really believe it herself either.

Her fears proved to be true. A deep voice resonated throughout the temple. "On the contrary, young ones… you've only altered the course of destiny; you haven't changed its destination."

"Who…?" Chrom gasped in confusion as the second Robin they had met back at Carrion Isle suddenly materialized in front of them.

"It is still written that Chrom dies here." The other Robin said coldly. However, no one present could recognize the voice of the tactician they knew as their ally. The voice felt far more ancient, far more sinister. Out of the mouth of other Robin came the true voice of Grima. "Specifically, by MY hand. While I must applaud your efforts, they were ultimately all in vain."

"Who are you!?" Chrom demanded.

"I am Robin." An eerie smile crept across this other Robin's lips. "I've already told you. I am the Robin that murdered you and became the Fell Dragon, Grima. The two of us are one and the same. We even share some our memories, because we both share Grima's heart. And when Lucina and her friends jumped back in time… I followed them through the gate. While we may be the same person, Robin and I ended up in different positions due to the decisions we made… and the decisions that were made on our behalf when we were too young to do so… And now you can see, the difference is as great as night and day. I will claim the bounty that your Robin refuses to claim, and I'll destroy the world in place of your weak minded friend."

"So the memories and the nightmares… that was you?" Robin asked.

"No, that wasn't me." The future Robin replied. "If I had it my way, you wouldn't have witnessed those memories in the first place. However, there's not much I can do… it's not possible for me to force myself to forget specific details, after all. But enough talk. It's time for me to feast… and to reclaim my godhood!"

The future Robin raised his arms and began to glow as the souls of the deceased Plegians began pooling towards him. He was enveloped in a flash of light before disappearing altogether. Mere moments later, a soul piercing howl could be heard from the skies above them.

"Quickly!" Chrom commanded in panic. "We all have to get out of here… NOW!"

Everyone that was still alive inside the temple hurriedly ran outside. What they saw in the sky was enough to chill them to the bone. A dark, shadowy figure of a dragon with six wings floated up in the sky above them. Thunder crackled whenever it flapped its wings. Bolts of lightning struck the temple, causing it to collapse upon itself. Thankfully, most of the shepherds' allies were able to make it out in time. An unlucky few were relatively close to the entrance when the building collapsed, burying a few of them alive beneath the rubble.

The soldiers among them all began to murmur amongst themselves in shock and terror. A few of them even knelt down and began to pray for their lives.

"Th-that's Grima!" Lucina exclaimed. "That's the demon that destroyed my world! And now… it's among us…"

"The terrible size of it!" Frederick muttered in shock. "For once, the legends spoke true. We can't hope to face it in direct combat! It would slaughter us all!"

Chrom turned to Robin. "Did you retrieve it?"

Robin held up the Fire Emblem, which clearly had Sable, the missing Gemstone, embedded in its proper position. "Yeah."

Chrom breathed out a sigh of relief. "Then I suppose we still have some hope. We have to seek Naga for her aid, it seems."

Lucina nodded in agreement. "It's our only change. When Grima first appeared in our world, it had to take some time to get reacclimated to its larger body, and to regain his lost powers. This is the only opportunity we have to complete the Awakening ritual without his disturbance!"

"The first Exalt completed the ritual on Mount Prism." Frederick offered. "There is an altar at the peak of the mountain. If we were to attempt the Awakening, I advise we do so at Mount Prism!"

"You're right." Chrom agreed. "No matter how small the chances of success is, we have no choice but to try. Otherwise, there will be no way for us to stop Grima from destroying the world! Hurry, everyone!"

The shepherds and their allies hastily marched to the Northeast, in the direction of Mount Prism.

**Author's Notes:**

**First of all, for those of you in the US, I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! I don't have too much to say this time except that finals season is once again coming up, so unfortunately, I will probably not be doing much writing in the next few weeks. Perhaps the next chapter will be released near Christmas time. However, this story is still quickly nearing its end, and I hope to be able to post the final chapters before the spring semester starts.**

**That's all from me. See you all next time!**


	42. Awakening

**Foot of Mount Prism…**

The shepherds and their allies had traveled for an entire day in order to get to Mount Prism as soon as possible. Given that Grima had already been resurrected in their timeline, Lucina repeatedly stressed the urgency of the situation.

By the time they had arrived, everyone had been completely and utterly exhausted. Seeing that they had already made it to the actual mountain without encountering any resistance, Chrom decided that it was fine for everyone to take a couple of hours in order to rest. The mess tent was erected immediately, but no one bothered to set up the personal ones. After all, the purpose of this break was just to eat. They still had a mountain to climb before they could even think about falling asleep.

Chrom had it even worse. When everyone gets an opportunity to rest at the summit, he had to be prepared to undergo the Awakening ceremony at Naga's shrine. According to Tiki, if the willpower of the nominee was not strong enough, the flames of Naga would consume their soul, killing them forever. Even though Lucina had survived the ritual, she still had a lot to endure, and it had only been done with four of the five gemstones. With all five gemstones, Chrom would have to endure something significantly more severe than Lucina's awakening. However, should he be able to survive it, the power bestowed upon him would also be much greater than what Lucina was able to attain.

Though Robin was worried, Chrom had repeatedly reassured him that he would be able to complete the Awakening. Seeing as there was not much he could do besides believe in his friend, Robin let the matter slide. After all, if Chrom does not succeed, there would be little hope left for humanity. Therefore, the only scenario he should worry about is what they should do after Chrom completes the Awakening.

Soon, dinner was ready. Due to the abnormally large amount of people, multiple mess halls were set up, and ultimately, the soldiers all ate with their fellow countrymen. Only the soldiers from Rosanne, including Virion and Cherche, ate with the shepherds. Chrom had insisted that since there were only around a dozen or two of them anyways, there wasn't a reason to set up a tent and make them cook for themselves. There was plenty of space, even with these Rosannese guests, provided that their wyverns were not allowed inside, of course.

The food itself wasn't anything fancy, and it had also been made in a hurry, leaving it somewhat bland. However, no one had the appetite to truly care, as most people were severely anxious about what was to come in the upcoming confrontation with Grima. The tent was relatively silent as the shepherds ate their food, and the pleasant small talk and side conversations usually present was nowhere to be seen.

The only exception was the mess tent for the Feroxi soldiers. Evidently, they were not as worried about having to fight, even if the odds were against them. Instead, they were busy celebrating the valiant return of Basilio, someone that was presumed dead long ago.

Lucina had actually wanted to have a conversation with Robin. She had been itching to talk about the plan that he and Chrom had hatched behind her back. However, seeing him deep in contemplation, coupled with the fact that anything they talked about would not have the cover of background noise, she eventually decided against it. There would be some time for that in the near future.

After everyone had eaten, the mess tents were immediately torn down and the shepherds began their march up the mountain. The higher up the mountain they went, the more vibrant their surroundings became. Not a single trace of conflict could be seen in the lush fields of grass.

"It's beautiful…" Lissa sighed.

"Yes." Lucina nodded in agreement. "The Divine Dragon's power flows through every blade of grass here."

As they kept walking, everyone seemed to become more and more relaxed, as if the atmosphere was comforting them, saying everything was going to be fine. Robin noticed that Chrom had unclenched his fists, and even had a blissful demeanor across his face.

At the top of the mountain stood a shrine, dedicated to Naga. After a short deliberation, it was decided that the shepherds would accompany Chrom into the shrine while everyone else stood guard on the outside.

Although Cherche, Virion, and even Say'ri were invited to go with them to see the interior of the shrine, they had all politely refused. The Awakening ceremony was meant as a sacred ritual for the Ylissean nobles, they argued, so there was no reason for them to be present.

Once inside, Chrom patted Lucina's shoulder in order to comfort her. "I'm going up to the altar… wait here… I'll be back."

"Be careful, Chrom…" Lissa whispered towards his departing figure. "Come back alive."

"We must believe in him, Aunt Lissa." Lucina told her, although deep down, she knew that she was actually trying to erase her own worries. "He'll come back."

"Milord, do you need me to whisper the correct phrases of the Awakening to you?" Frederick pestered him as Chrom walked towards the altar. "I've committed the entire ritual to memory. Just give the word and I'll be right here to aid you."

"No need, no need." Chrom brushed him aside. "I've memorized it all myself. Just go back with the others and await my good news."

"Are you sure, milord?" Frederick asked once again. "'Twould do us no good for you to make an error."

"You're looking down on me too much!" Chrom complained. "Stop being so anxious. I can do this."

With that, Frederick finally begrudgingly backed away and rejoined the other shepherds a good distance away from the altar.

Facing the altar, Chrom saw not only the place where he can hang up the completed Fire Emblem, but also a chink in the ground where he can plant Falchion. He immediately placed both items in their required positions.

Chrom raised his arms towards the ceiling. "Hear me, Naga! I bear proof of our sacred covenant! In the name of the exalted blood, I ask for the divine dragon's power! Baptize me in fire, that I may become your true son!"

Responding to the power of the Fire Emblem as well as Chrom's monologue, a column of white light erupted from the altar, surrounding Chrom and cutting him off from the rest of the shepherds. Chrom cried out in pain.

"Father!" Lucina exclaimed with a worried expression on her face.

"I'm… alright." Chrom insisted. Indeed, he had been severely surprised. After getting used to it, Chrom realized that the light was not that harsh. Instead, he began to feel the warm embrace surrounding him.

"Be welcome, Awakener…" A regal, female voice replied. Heads turned, only to find Tiki in a trance like state, her eyes glowing a translucent, blue-green color. It was obvious that Naga was talking through her. "Your heart has been tested and deemed worthy! Cleansed in my fire, your desire has proven to be stronger!"

Chrom turned around to face Tiki, inadvertently facing the rest of the shepherds as well.

"Then will you grant me the power to defeat Grima?" he asked. "The power of a god?"

"That is a power that I myself do not possess." Naga lamented. "For you see, Grima and I are opposites of each other. He has the power of destruction, while I possess the power of creation. I lack the ability to kill him even a single time, whereas although it is possible for him to destroy me, he cannot stop by regeneration. Throughout all of time, the two of us have been at a stalemate."

"Then… what power CAN you give me?" Chrom asked.

"I can offer your this…" Tiki raised her hand, and a powerful flame erupted from the altar, completely shrouding Falchion. Once the flame subsided, the edges of Flachion flickered a deadly crimson-orange color. "With my blessing, thou may draw forth Falchion's true might: The blade of the Exalts shall once again strike like a dragon's fang. Your strength will then be my equal."

"But not enough to slay Grima?" Chrom asked.

"Alas, Grima cannot be slain for good." Naga sighed. "Sleep alone can be your victory. Just as your ancestors put him to sleep a few millennia ago. But you must weaken him first. Only as the final blow can my power be used to bind his."

"Isn't there ANY way to truly get rid of him?" Lissa asked.

"...There is, perchance." Naga finally responded after a brief moment of hesitation, or perhaps deep thought. "A power to truly end Grima… however… 'twould be his own."

"He has to kill himself?" Frederick translated.

"Yes, although he would never do so of his own volition." Tiki nodded. "He seeks only to add to his power, and to set ruin upon the world. So it is best not to worry about such things. Come, children… for there is little time…"

"Where is Grima now?" Chrom asked as he re-equipped the Fire Emblem and drew Falchion from the altar.

"To the West, there lies a volcano known as Origen Peak…" Naga whispered. "You shall find him there."

With that, the energy left Tiki's body, causing the manakete to crumple to the ground. Fortunately. Kellam and Robin, who had been nearby, caught her before she hit the ground.

"Origen Peak…" Chrom muttered as he rejoined the shepherds. "Where is that?"

"I believe the aforementioned volcano is no more than one or perhaps two days of maritime travel away from the Plegian coastline." Miriel offered. "According to my estimations, perhaps the closest location is Carrion Isle."

"Then we should make preparations to head over right away." Chrom said resolutely. "Find as many ships as possible."

"The Valmese came over on ships of their own." Robin noted as he lifted the still unconscious Tiki. "They must have docked somewhere in Plegia. Perhaps this would be our quickest option. Why don't we talk to Virion, Say'ri and Walhart about it? Maybe we don't need to prepare ships of our own."

"Actually… that's a better plan." Chrom admitted. "Alright, we'll do it your way."

Seeing as Chrom had successfully completed the Awakening, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Just by looking at his Falchion, people could notice that his sword seemed so much stronger than Lucina's. Even though the only difference was that Lucina completed the ritual with four stones instead of five, the end result seemed worlds apart. When Chrom had been curious about Lucina's Parallel Falchion, they had found that besides being sharper than his own, there were no major differences. However, the exalted Falchion he now had emitted so much power that it felt like he could cut down an entire tree with a single swing.

Although they were in a hurry, the shepherds were still humans after all. After rushing all the way to Mount Prism, everyone was utterly exhausted. Furthermore, Tiki had yet to wake up. Given the circumstances, Chrom decided that it would be best to set up camp on the side of the mountain tonight.

Nowi found a well a short distance away from the shrine, and when she had initially reported it to Chrom, no one believed her. It seemed extremely unlikely for there to be a well in this sort of place, but when a few shepherds decided to 'play along' with her, they found that Nowi really was able to lead them to a well. It was unbelievably shallow, and yet whenever they drew a bucket of water from it, the water level would still stay the same. It was as if there was a never ending supply of water that could not be exhausted.

With this new finding, there was no need for anyone to look for fresh water. Libra thanked the Divine Dragon in the form of prayer, and everyone drew as much water as needed, being careful not to be wasteful in the process.

**Hours Later…**

When Robin was finally ready to retire for the night, he entered the tent to find Lucina already waiting for him. She had an expression indicating that there was something extremely important on her mind.

"What's on your mind?" Robin asked as he hung up his cloak and dried his face with a towel.

"I should have trusted you more…" Lucina admitted. "I didn't think that you had everything under control. If I understood the situation better… I wouldn't have even attempted to threaten you."

"What, are you talking about Validar?" Robin asked, to which the princess nodded. "Well, Chrom, Frederick and I planned out really far ahead of time. You see… I've had this dream, or perhaps you could call it a nightmare really frequently… and I saw that exact confrontation."

"What?" Lucina whispered with a look of shock on her face. "You saw the future?"

"Well, not really." Robin admitted. "Actually, in my visions, I saw myself kill Chrom. At first, I didn't want to say anything, because you had mentioned before that Chrom was killed by a close friend. And I was trying my best to make sure that this event would not happen. However, I finally ended up talking about it to Chrom. In the end, we were actually able to take advantage of the situation and reclaim the Fire Emblem from Validar instead."

"But that was too reckless!" Lucina objected. "What if Validar was really able to control you? Chrom would have died!"

"We did consider that, which is why we had to test the waters first." Robin explained.

"Test… the waters?" Lucina looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Validar demonstrated his little trick when we went to collect the final gemstone from him." Robin replied. "We would have called off the plan if the mind control was truly something I couldn't deal with."

"But… what if it really worked and Validar ordered you to kill him then?" Lucina pointed out. "You wouldn't even have a chance to turn the situation around."

"But all of you were nearby." Robin grinned. "I would not have been able to harm Chrom even if I tried my hardest. The only reason why my nightmare even occurred is because Validar was able to separate the two of us from the rest of you. This plan was created based on mutual trust. Chrom's trust for me, my trust for Chrom, and our trust for all of the shepherds. This is why Validar lost; these are the bonds between us that are stronger than destiny."

"That sounds good, but is it enough to defeat Grima?" Lucina grumbled.

"We'll accomplish it." Robin rubbed her shoulder. "Chrom already successfully completed the Awakening ritual. We have to power to at least put Grima to sleep. Even if we cannot completely get rid of him, we'll at least stop him from destroying the world."

Robin let out a chuckle. "Don't think about it too hard, and just try and get some sleep. We have a very important confrontation in just a couple of days."

"Yeah… you're right." Lucina replied, finally able to relax a little after hearing Robin's words. "But next time… whenever you have these sorts of elaborate plans, could you tell me beforehand?"

Robin didn't respond for a long time.

"I'll tell you of all the plans when I am able to." He finally managed to get out. "Sometimes, the more people know of the plan, the less likely it is to succeed. Your genuine reaction to Chrom's 'death' is part of what made it so realistic. But I promise… whenever I'm able to, I'll let you in on the loop."

"That's not what I was asking about." Lucina sighed in defeat. "Fine, let's just sleep."

Although she hid it very well, it was clear that Lucina was extremely tired after everything that had occurred in the day. Both of them fell asleep as soon as they closed their eyes. Unconsciously, Robin held onto Lucina even tighter than usual that night. The last thing he had heard from her before falling asleep was "I love you".

**Origen Peak…**

After completing the Awakening ritual, Chrom and his allies rushed as fast as they could towards Carrion Isle, where the Valmese fleet was docked. Immediately after everyone had boarded, they set sail towards Origen Peak. Even from a distance, they could see the large figure of Grima floating above the mountain, seeming to blot out the sun at some times. The mood was extremely sombre.

"Origen Peak…" Chrom breathed in deeply as soon as he set foot of the boat.

"The fell dragon is indeed here." Naga's voice echoed, drawing everyone's attention towards Tiki. "Remember, Awakener! The power I gave to you is not enough to slay Grima..."

"It can only put him back to sleep." Robin finished, even without thinking about it.

"We have to find a way to break this unholy cycle!" Chrom declared with conviction. "We can't keep putting him back to sleep for a few centuries, only to have him wake up later! Even if we will no longer be around, we would just be willing his vengeance on our descendants!"

"This is something that has been going on since the birth of this continent." Naga replied. "Although unpleasant, death and destruction is something that will always walk side by side with mortals. Perhaps… it will be easier for you to accept if I tell it to you this way… although I highly doubt it."

"...I might have an idea." Robin nudged Chrom. "I've been thinking about it the entire way here."

"Oh?" Chrom's expression lit up for a brief second. "Do you have some sort of strategy?"

"Well, if I am truly one and the same with the me and became Grima…" Robin began. "If I were to strike the final blow instead of Chrom, would that mean Grima was killed by his own hand?"

"Robin… that's ingenious!" Chrom exclaimed. He instantly turned to Naga expectantly. "Can it work, though?"

"...Perhaps…" Naga replied. Tiki seemed to have an amused expression across her face. "But there would be certain consequences. Grima's heart and Robin's are inexorably linked. Dragon and man can no longer be separated. Therefore, my best guess is that slaying Grima would also cause the end of Robin's life."

"...I thought so." came Robin's reply. "But I am ready."

"...Wait!" Chrom sighed. "If slaying Grima means Robin must die… I think we should look for another way."

"There is… a chance you might survive." Tiki seemed to form a contemplative expression on her face. "You have bound your heart to many of those still living in this world. But do not raise your hopes. This chance is small, indeed. In fact, it is so insignificant that you will almost certainly cease to exist. Not even a thousand human friendships could be stronger than the dragon's grip."

"...I understand." Robin nodded. "Thank you. I will prepare for the worst, but hope for the best."

"No, you're mad, Robin!" Chrom insisted. "We can ask you to die in exchange for slaying Grima! We'll find another way."

"The other way is to make Grima fall asleep for a few more centuries." Robin reminded him. "You're not thinking clearly. Think about what Emmeryn would have wanted."

"Emm would never have asked you for something like this!" Chrom insisted.

"What is one life, when weighed against millions?" Robin countered. "If I can stop Grima from ever coming back, why wouldn't my life be worth it?"

"Stop it, Robin!" Lucina insisted. "Please, think about it. When we came back from our timeline, all we wanted was for Grima to be stopped. We can achieve our goal by putting him to sleep as well! You told me so yesterday!"

"Yeah, and the rest of us don't want you to die." Lissa added.

"I say, this is something we had to go through, so if our descendants have to go through it again, I'm sure they can understand." Sumia agreed. "Didn't our own ancestors fail to truly kill the dragon anyways? Killing Grima would not benefit us any more than putting him to sleep. However, losing you would be extremely hurtful for the rest of us."

"Please reconsider?" Lucina begged him with her eyes.

Robin looked around at his friends. 'Truly, I don't want to leave any of you either.'

"Alright…" The tactician sighed. "I'll think about it some more…"

His friends breathed a sigh of relief, but Tiki/Naga seemed to be amused with his response. Although she couldn't read minds, she understood exactly what Robin was thinking. His friends had not convinced him.

Suddenly, Tiki turned her head towards the peaks. "Children, the time for deliberation is over. The Grimleal have found us."

"We're under attack, my liege!" Frederick exclaimed, right on cue.

The shepherds formed a defensive position as Robin quickly took out his Hekseer to gauge the situation.

"We need to rush towards Aversa." Robin informed everyone. "Not only would we remove their commanding officer, but we would also secure the high ground. The rest of the Grimleal will be extremely easy to deal with afterwards."

"Aye, I agree." Say'ri nodded. "Why don't the shepherds lead the charge, and the rest of us will cover your flanks. The Chon'sin will cover your right side."

"I guess that means we have the left." Walhart chuckled. "These craven shall all fall to the wayside!"

With that, Walhart and his men set off eagerly to begin the slaughter.

"I guess we'll have to hurry up then. Otherwise it will be Walhart leading the charge on Aversa." Cherche chuckled. She placed a hand on Sumia's shoulder. "Our wyverns will help you guard against aerial attacks."

"And the Feroxi will watch your back." Flavia pulled out a short axe.

"Everyone, prepare for combat!" Chrom called out. Immediately, all the battle hardened soldiers seamlessly drew their weapons, and engaged the Grimleal.

Robin could feel the hate and desperation of the Grimleal. However, he could also feel their excitement. After all, their god had been resurrected, so many of them were sure they had already won. However, the shepherds and their allies were still more experienced when it came to warfare.

Right away, a line of Plegian Generals greeted them. Chrom slashed out with his Exalted Falchion, and to his surprise, his blade cut through the General's thick armor like a hot knife through butter. The places on the armor where the blade passed glowed as if it were being melted in a furnace.

"This is… my Falchion!?" Chrom asked in disbelief. Killing a fully armored General should never have been that easy.

"The awakened Falchion strikes like the fang of a dragon." Naga reminded him. "The steel shells created by mortals cannot stand in its way."

Chrom turned around and saw Tiki in her dragon form. He heard Naga's chuckle when she saw his expression. "As Tiki can fight as a manakete, I too can participate in this battle, though my strength is limited by that of Tiki's."

Meanwhile, the rest of the shepherds were able to dispatch of the rest of the Generals.

Stahl and Sully worked together to lock their weapons with their opponent's axe. Even though the General was strong, he could not hope to be stronger than both Stahl and Sully combined. He was forced into the situation of continuously trying to break free, or abandoning his weapon. The General chose the former, which made him a sitting duck for Vaike. The Berserker crept up behind him and raised his Hammer.

"Looks like Teach just got tenure!" Vaike said gleefully as he slammed the hammer into his target's back. The General screamed in pain as his armor crumpled inwards and his spine broke. Very soon afterwards, all his strength left him and the Plegian crumpled to the floor.

"Watch it, ya piece o' shit!" Sully pointed her lance at Vaike. "A couple more inches to the left, and it woulda hit my horse! If that ever happens, I'll run ya through, you got that?"

"The Vaike never misses!" Vaike boasted as he pounded his chest. "Except… well, there are some exceptions."

The three could feel the air heat up, and they turned to see another Plegian General burnt to a crisp by a Bolganone spell from Miriel. On their other side, the fourth General had been slain by the cooperation between Lucina, Cynthia, Laurent and Gerome.

Lon'qu engaged a Plegian Berserker. Before, he probably would have challenged one of the Swordmasters that was charging towards the others, since it would have been a better way of proving he was stronger, but fighting under the leadership of Robin clearly showed him that by choosing the right matchups, they could escape combat with as few casualties as possible. In the past, Lon'qu might not have cared about such things, but he had a wife to take care of now. He smirked to himself. If he were to fight against Lucina again, there's no guarantee he would lose once more.

Compared to him, the Berserker moved like a snail. Lon'qu could easily dodge his opponent's swings, and a single opening left for him meant he could slash the Berserker at least two times. The thinner leather armor that the Berserker wore could not protect him from Lon'qu's strikes endlessly, and the Berserker soon fell to his knees and died.

Meanwhile, there was something similar going on for Olivia. She was even harder to hit than Lon'qu, and her opponent was becoming extremely frustrated. Out of rage, he slammed his axe towards the ground, hoping to chop the Assassin in half, but unfortunately, not only did Olivia dodge out of the way, but his axe got stuck in the ground as well.

Olivia did not miss this opportunity. She immediately jumped onto the handle of the axe, pressing the weapon ever so slightly further into the ground as she sprang up and jumped over the Berserker's head. In midair, she drew her killing edge, severing her opponents head from their body as she landed silently on her feet.

Kellam and Frederick had been quickly redirected towards the Swordmasters running towards the shepherds. Although they were far slower than their counterparts, the fundamental difference this time was that their armor was much harder and much thicker than that of a Berserkers. Though the opposing Swordmasters would strike far more frequently than they, the thick armor of the General and the Great Knight protected them from serious harm. Instead, they were soon shot down by some well aimed arrows from Gaius and Virion.

"There's more of them coming!" Cordelia warned them from above. "They have a lot of people, possibly as many as all of us!"

"So we'll have to break through their formation. Charge straight for Aversa." Robin commanded. "Let our allies watch our sides for us. We only have one objective in this battle."

Due to the mountainous terrain, their charge was not as fast as it could be. However, compared to the sands of Plegia, the shepherds on horseback still had relatively acceptable mobility. Although they moved forward slower, none of the Grimleal could truly stop their progress.

True to Cherche's word, the Rosannese kept the skies clear of any Plegian Dark Fliers and Wyvern Lords. The shepherds on the ground didn't face any aerial harassment other than the occasional flying mount falling at them from the sky once they had been killed.

When the Grimleal realized that they were at a severe disadvantage when it came to face to face confrontations, they began to try and circle around. Tricksters and Assassins tried their luck in approaching them from some obscure angles, but unfortunately, Chrom and Robin had amassed the help of several allies.

Out of nowhere, an Assassin was stabbed in the neck by Morgan.

A Trickster that raised his Levin Sword immediately got shot down by Basilio's arrow.

A Berserker on their right flank got cut up into pieces by the Chon'sin as he tried to rush Chrom.

A Wyvern Lord was dragged out of the sky by Walhart when he lodged his Axe into the low flying creature's maw.

Robin smiled. Although the Grimleal were being lead by Aversa, it was clear that she was no natural commander. Their strategy resembled that of a human wave tactic, which happened to be the easiest type of battle for Robin to win. After all, even if the battle was messy, one could still predict their opponents movements if they had the experience. With reliable allies, the battle was even easier. Walhart had absolutely no trouble dealing with his side of the map, and although Say'ri was struggling a little bit, the Chon'sin soldiers were still able to do their job on their side.

The only thing that surprised Robin were the Griffon Riders that flew towards them from their backside. However, true to Flavia's word, the Feroxi army took them down, so Robin didn't have to divert any resources to deal with them.

The shepherds around them seemed to be in their element. Spells flew left and right from their casters, and everyone was moving around like a unit, which is partially due to having fought together for so long. Everyone knew their role, and everyone played it to perfection. Grimleal fell one after another, and because they lacked experienced or skilled healers, quickly died afterwards. As for the shepherds, although Lissa and Maribelle were busy, they were never in any dire situations. By now, even if a shepherd got their limbs completely severed, Lissa could still heal the wound back to its original state, although the process would be extremely exhausting.

After a couple of hours of endless fighting, they had finally made their way to Aversa. However, instead of flying in the air, she was simply standing next to her Falicorn on the ground.

"Give up, it is over." Chrom called out to her.

"I think I should be the one saying that." Aversa replied. "Haven't you seen it? Master Grima has already returned! But if you still choose to keep fighting, I will be happy to bring you your end. After all, I still have to avenge my previous Master. I could never forgive the ones who butchered Validar!"

She opened the dark purple tome in her hand, and began to cast a powerful spell. "None of you would be able to survive a direct hit from Goetia! Behold, this is the ultimate dark tome of the Plegians!"

"Take cover!" Chrom immediately ordered, but as it turns out, this was an unnecessary command.

As Aversa finished chanting, an equally strong light spell flew towards her. The two blasts of energy slammed against each other, and consumed one another. In the blink of an eye, both the dark purple energy and the bright white energy vanished without a trace. A blast of air flew outwards from the center of the collision, but there were no other indicators that the two spells were even there in the first place.

Robin saw Morgan casting the spell out of the corner of his eye, and praised the young girl in his mind. It seems like the two opposite energy types would negate the effects of each other when combined through a direct confrontation, which is why everyone got through unscathed.

Aversa herself seemed extremely surprised.

"There's… no way…" she shook her head in disbelief. "How can a single spell completely negate the power of Goetia?"

"Are you ready to surrender now?" Chrom asked once again.

"You can all die!" Aversa snarled as she attempted to cast Goetia again. She had thought she had a trump card up her sleeve, but as it turns out, the shepherds had a way to counter her. Still, it's possible that the spell used to counter her own was something that could only be used once, or a spell that could not be cast repetitively, or had a low success rate. Whatever the case, Aversa's only objective was to damage the shepherds as much as possible, so that they can all walk to their deaths when they face Grima.

"Hand!" Robin called out, confusing almost everyone, including Chrom.

Before anyone could react, two arrows flew towards Aversa's left hand, the one holding her tome.

Gaius had reacted faster, which was why his arrow arrived first. It flew through the back of her hand, leaving the arrowhead exposed through her palm. Goetia was knocked out of her grasp, and Virion's arrow shot through the book as it flew through the air, damaging the pages and leaving the tome inoperative.

Aversa crumpled to the ground and screamed in agony as she held her left wrist with her other hand. However, this did nothing to stop the pain from the arrow still lodged in her left hand.

Chrom raised his sword, and was about to bring it down before being stopped by Robin. The tactician gripped his arm, preventing him from driving Falchion through her stomach.

"What are you doing?" Chrom asked. "Why are you sparing someone like her? She's killed our friends… she helped kill my sister!"

"I'm not stopping you from killing her." Robin replied. "We can execute her whenever we want. However, I'm curious to see if she has anything useful information about Grima. Perhaps a weakness we could exploit… or maybe some strategy we could consider."

"You think I would tell you anything?" Aversa snorted, trying to act tough despite the pain in her hand. "You might as well kill me now."

Robin turned to her coldly. "I wasn't asking you."

Aversa gasped in surprise as Robin placed his hand on her forehead. She felt his magic as he began to try and pry into her mind. Reflexively, she tried to force Robin's hand away, but was restrained by Frederick. She began to struggle and cry out, desperately trying to get Robin to stop.

"Is there anything?" Chrom asked. Robin had quite a puzzled expression on his face.

"There's some magic that's trying to block me." Robin grunted with much effort.

"Is that Aversa's doing?" Chrom asked.

"No, I don't think so." Robin replied. "It… actually kind of reminds me of Validar."

"What!?" Chrom asked. "Isn't he dead?"

"Perhaps it's a spell designed to last for a long time then?" Sumia suggested.

"Hold on." Robin furrowed his brows. "I think if you give me a little longer, I can break past it…"

Suddenly, Aversa's struggling stopped. She gulped in mouthful after mouthful of air, as if she had been unable to take any breaths before.

Robin hastily drew his hand away. As soon as he did so, Aversa began to tremble, and tears began to cascade down her face.

"Lies!" Aversa wailed. "That damned Validar… he lied to me! He… lied to me…"

"Uh… what's this about?" Lissa asked in confusion.

"I think Validar was blocking some of her memories." Robin explained. "I could scan her memories up until around a decade or so ago, but anything before that is completely blocked off by the magic. It… kind of reminded me of myself, actually."

"So why was it blocked off?" Lucina asked hesitantly, her hand still resting on Falchion.

"Well, I couldn't see all of it, because the memories began flooding out as soon as the seal broke." Robin explained. "But I did see a snippet of it, and I'm thinking Aversa might be willing to share who Validar truly is to her now."

"He's… a monster…" Aversa sobbed. "He razed my entire village… and even dared to rewrite my memories so that I remembered him as my savior… my family… my friends… I remember them all again… but they were all killed by that monster…"

"Is this true?" Chrom asked.

"Yes, I swear on my life!" Aversa nodded. The expression of the egoistic and arrogant Dark Flier was now nowhere to be seen.

"Then are you willing to help us destroy Grima?" Robin followed up. "If so, any information you might have would be useful."

"There's a chink on his back." Aversa offered immediately. "Right below his neck, where it connects to his body… the plates protecting that area should be weaker… it's where the First Exalt stabbed him, in order to make him fall asleep…"

"Alright… that is indeed useful." Robin nodded his head. "Let's move towards the peak then. We have to stop Grima as soon as possible…"

"Wait!" Aversa pleaded. "If possible… could I help? You know I am a very good magic user!"

"Not a chance." Chrom replied firmly. "Even if what you claim is true… I won't allow someone like you to wield a weapon when so much is at stake. We'll restrain you and place you to the very rear. If we do succeed in stopping Grima, then I'll worry about what happens to you afterwards."

"I… understand." Aversa sighed. Her response actually may have surprised Chrom a little, judging by his raised eyebrows. However, Chrom recovered extremely quickly.

"Shepherds! Our target is straight ahead of us!" Chrom drew his Exalted Falchion and pointed it towards Grima, who was still hovering above the peak. "Please, lend my your strength one last time! We must defeat Grima in order to secure the lives of everyone!"

Besides Kellam and a couple other guards who watched over Aversa, everyone else drew their weapons and charged towards the top of the volcano.

**Author's Notes:**

**Alright, so it took me a little longer than expected to write this chapter, given the holidays and the family gatherings… etc. However, the chapter is now done. **

**After some thought, I ended up deciding to omit the battle on Mount Prism, as I felt it was sort of forced. This is understandable, because in the game, they don't want to spew out fifteen minutes of only talking. As I felt it was unnecessary, I decided to merge two chapters.**

**Next chapter is the confrontation between the shepherds and Grima… make sure to follow the story so you don't miss it.**


	43. To Slay a God

**Origin Peak…**

An ear-piercing shriek reached the ears of the shepherds, promptly stopping their advance.

"Yikes!" Lissa exclaimed. Her hands were visibly shaking as they gripped her healing staff. "What was that!?"

"Th-that's the dragon's call!" Lucina responded. She could feel her knees begin to shake a little. "Grima is almost ready to rampage across the land!"

"We can defeat him!" Chrom reassured everyone. "We WILL defeat him!"

"M-milord… it's like a mountain…" Frederick shuddered. For once, there was a trace of uncertainty in his voice. "How does man even challenge such a beast? Where would one even strike?!"

"The weakness described by that Plegian woman is correct." The voice of Naga replied, soothing the nerves of the shepherds slightly. "While I am able to transport a small group of you onto the Fell Dragon's back, I cannot aid you any further in exploiting this weakness. Furthermore, the nape of his neck is sure to be heavily guarded by his followers."

"That would be extremely helpful." Chrom nodded. "If you truly can transport us onto his back, that will be more than enough. How many can we take?"

"I'm… actually not sure…" Tiki had a confused expression on her face. "The presence of Grima is stronger than mine, given that I only have a vessel through which I can converse with common people. It's interfering with my judgement of my own capabilities. However… I would estimate around 30 to 40 people."

"30 to 40…" Robin furrowed his brows. "That is definitely not enough for us to take everyone. Why don't we just take the shepherds. It looks like the mountain is still crawling with Grimleal. Everyone else should begin exterminating them. Even if we were to stop Grima, we'll still need to get rid of them all eventually."

"Leave it to me!" Walhart pounded his chestplate. "Go and strike down you god!"

"Definitely." Robin nodded. "Let's assemble everyone."

"Warriors of Valm! Ride with me!" Walhart raised his battle axe and charged off in the direction of the gathering Grimleal.

"Doesn't he sound a little bit too happy?" Lissa asked with a shred of concern in her voice.

"Aye. That man thrives off of conflict." Say'ri sighed. "Regretfully, I don't think I'll be joining you. Somebody ought to keep an eye on him after all."

"We'll leave it to you then." Chrom nodded. "Cherche? Virion?"

"We'll leave our soldiers in the care of Lady Say'ri." Virion gave an exaggerated bow. "I believe we'll be of great assistance in other places."

"That is greatly appreciated." Robin smiled earnestly. "You never know what we might have to go through up there."

"Chrom, the others… they're all ready." Sumia nudged her husband. "Everyone has prepared themselves."

"Then I shall prepare a mass teleportation." Naga replied from the body of Tiki. "Be warned. Many of Grima's strongest allies will no doubt be guarding him. Everyone, gather around me."

Tiki raised her arms and began an incantation as the shepherds began to encircle her. A circle of aquamarine light began to shine around the shepherds, before everyone inside the circle suddenly vanished without a trace.

**In the air…**

Many Grimleal were gathered upon the back of a jet black dragon. They were all on one knee, and with lowered heads.

Along the back of the dragon were rows and rows of interlocked, diamond shaped, scales, all hard as obsidian. The scales neatly covered the entirety of the dragon's back, except for at one location. At the back of the Fell Dragon's neck, there is one small area where a single scale was missing.

Grima-Robin was standing at this precise location, looking pleased with all of his followers. His feet were firmly planted at this location, as if he was nothing more than one of the dragon's appendages. Magic constantly swirled around him, giving the appearance of a man being surrounded by purple smoke.

Indeed, Grima's conscience was currently located in the humanoid standing on the nape of his neck. He still requires more time before his strength fully returns, and in the meantime, the only thing that could pose a threat to him was if somehow he were to get stabbed in his only weakness.

'Humans haven't been a complete waste of space I suppose.' Grima-Robin mused to himself. 'At least there are a few of them that are wise.'

Suddenly, his senses alerted him to some magic that was being casted onto his back.

"Raise your heads." he ordered his followers. "We're about to have company. Serve me to the best of your ability and strike down my enemies!"

"Yes, Lord Grima!" The Grimleal shouted in unison.

"Watch, as I bring ruin upon those that oppose me!" Grima-Robin cackled as the air around him crackled with purple magic.

**With the shepherds…**

After the completion of Naga's spell, the shepherds found themselves standing on the back of the Fell Dragon. Behind them was the long tail of Grima, and in front of them were dozens of battle-ready Grimleal.

"Are you ready, Robin?" Chrom asked him.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Robin nodded. "Let's finish this!"

"Grima!" Chrom pointed his Falchion in the direction of Grima-Robin. "Your reign of terror ends today!"

"Wretched son of Naga…" came the reply. "You will be destroyed… lets see how you like the taste of THIS!"

The draconic body of Grima let out a roar, and many spikes of condensed magic spew out of the scales on his lower back, striking the shepherds.

"Wh-what manner of magic…" Chrom panted.

"Magic!?" Basilio asked, struggling to stand upright. "That was... a damned catastrophe! He's… too strong!"

"It cannot end like this…" Frederick groaned. "Don't tell me all that we've done has been for naught!"

"And so it ends… Robin." Even though he was standing far away, Robin heard the voice of his counterpart clearly, as if he was standing right next to him. "Do you see how pathetic your human bonds are? You could've joined me, and yet you chose to throw it all away. With or without you, the end result is the same!"

"We're not dead yet!" Robin protested.

"Details, details…" Grima-Robin muttered. "Whatever. Still… it does pain me to have to deal with… myself. Since you refuse my offer, I suppose my only option is to enforce it upon you."

Grima-Robin pointed his hand towards the shepherds, and Robin suddenly felt a splitting headache. He gripped his head with both hands and grimaced.

"Robin!" Lissa cried out in concern. However, much like the rest of the shepherds, she was in no state to care for anyone except for herself.

"This…" Grima-Robin clenched his fist. "...is the dragon's grip!"

With that, Robin lost consciousness and collapsed. When he tried to open his eyes, he found himself in a dark, empty room. Feeling utterly exhausted, his eyelids closed immediately after the attempt.

"Finally… at last I have you…" Robin heard a voice whispering. "Once our power is joined… the dragon's might will be made whole! Your soul is mine now… you cannot escape! All that's left is for your mind to descend into the shadow of my own!"

"So… dark…" Robin muttered. "I feel… so tired… so sleepy..."

"Do not worry." He heard the same voice tell him. Although it was still the same voice, somehow it sounded a lot more calm and gentle. "Close your eyes. Take your much needed rest. You can leave everything in my capable hands!"

"Yes…" Robin let out a sigh of relief. "That… does sound… nice…"

Just as Robin was about to succumb to a deep slumber, he could make out some voices faintly calling out to him.

"You… to… back!"

"Hm?" Robin mumbled with his eyes already half closed.

"You have to… fight back!" The voice called again, this time a little bit clearer.

"Wait a minute… I know that voice." With that, Robin opened his eyes.

"You have to keep fighting! Fight back against it!" Robin could clearly hear Chrom yelling at him now. "You swore to do so, remember? Now keep your damned word!"

"Ch-Chrom!" Robin called out, unsure whether or not the man in question would actually be able to hear him. "I can hear you! I can hear you!"

"What!? No…" the voice of Grima clearly sounded irritated this time. "You are mine now.., the dragon's grip cannot be broken!"

"Come back to us, Robin!" This time, it was the feminine voice of Lissa that he heard. "Please! Come back to us!"

"I know it would take more than that to stop you, Robin." This time, it was Frederick.

"Don't tell me, you're gonna let that ugly ass snake get the last hiss?" Sully jabbed at him. "I don't think so!"

"History is watching, Robin!" Virion reminded him. "I can already see the bards singing about your many triumphs… give them yet another one to sing about!"

"On your feet!" Vaike yelled at him. "Don't make 'ol Teach… um… teach you a lesson!"

"This is a little bit of 'the pot calling the kettle black', but it's not good to oversleep!" Stahl reminded him. "So I think it's about time for you to get up."

"You are still sorely needed here." Miriel stated. "Arise from your hypnopompic state!"

Many other voices all called out towards him.

"Answer us, Robin!" (Lon'qu)

"You're too important to die here! Please, get up!" (Ricken)

"Get up this instant, or you'll be receiving a swift smack of my parasol!" (Maribelle)

"Up an' at 'em! Defeating just one dragon ought to be a piece o' cake!" (Gaius)

"Gregor will snap you out of it. Gregor does with the YELLING!" (Who else?)

"The gods gave you to us… I do not believe they wish to take you from us." (Libra)

"I know the darkness is warm and delicious… but too much of a good thing is not good for you!" (Henry)

"I need ya to come on back, y'hear?" (Donnel)

"Robin… don't tell me you're closing up shop? We still need you!" (Anna)

"Please Robin! We still need you! I still need you!" (Lucina)

"Father! Please come back! I don't want to lose you again!" (Morgan)

"I can hear them!" Robin announced, confidence brimming in his voice. "I can hear my friends! I can hear my family!"

"Stop this at once!" Grima began to sound a little panicked. "Silence those wretched voices! They are powerless! They are frail! They are insignificant! They are NOTHING!"

"Return to us, Robin!" Chrom called again. "Your bond with us is stronger than the grip of the Fell Dragon!"

"I'm coming Chrom, I'm coming! Hold on!" Robin began to struggle against the grip of Grima, and his consciousness began to clear up, little by little. He felt himself being pulled upwards, towards a bright light in the distance.

Robin's eyes flickered open, and the first thing he saw was Lissa's concerned face.

"Robin?" she rubbed her eyes a little. "Hey everyone! Robin's woke up!"

Robin heard a series of cheers around him. He mustered the strength to sit up.

"Where… what happened?" Robin asked.

"The Grimleal started to attack." Lissa explained. "Since you had not woken up, we had no choice but to begin combat without you."

Feeling quite alarmed, Robin immediately began to survey his surroundings. To his relief, the shepherds seemed to be familiar with their combat plans, even without his guidance. The Grimleal, although formidable opponents, could not break through the carefully created and practiced battle formations that the shepherds had grown accustomed to.

Robin let out a sigh of relief, then immediately steeled himself. Although no one on their side had fallen yet, this does not mean they will eventually win the battle. He had to figure out a way to either kill off all of the Grimleal, or to forcibly break through their ranks to reach the nape of Grima's neck.

Perhaps he felt drained by Grima's hold, or perhaps there really was no easy solution, but Robin eventually decided that the best and possibly only way to break through was the kill off the Grimleal as quickly and as efficiently as possible. After all, since the shepherds were able to hold off them all without his assistance, surely if he joined the fray, the scales would be tipped in their favor.

Raising his scythe, Robin dashed forward, quickly cleaving apart a Grimleal with each swing of his weapon. This was his safest bet, as casting magic would give him a chance to hit his allies. He did not have as much control over his body, as fighting on the back of a flying dragon was not the same as fighting on land.

By aiding his allies one by one, the shepherds immediately realized how much of a burden Robin had lifted for them. Shepherds that had been given assistance by Robin could then pay back the favor and help someone else, and the Grimleal quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.

"Don't move forward so quickly!" Robin called to his allies. "Grima's body grows wider as we move forward, so the Grimleal would be able to circle around and surround us. We can gradually thin out their numbers from here before moving forward!"

When Robin briefly lost concentration of the fight, it enabled a Grimleal Assassin to dive at him. By the time Robin noticed, it was already too late for him to block the lunge. However, the body of the Assassin was stabbed and then tossed aside by Cordelia's spear.

"Thanks, I owe you one." Robin called before refocusing his attention to the enemies in front of him. He noticed a couple of sorcerers preparing to cast dark magic. Robin jumped up and cleaved his scythe through the air, sending a blade of dark energy at them. Although he threw it out in a rush, Robin was still able to interrupt their casting.

Almost as if rehearsed beforehand, Virion and Gaius quickly shot an arrow at each of the sorcerers, finishing what Robin had started. Robin made eye contact with Gaius and saw the ex-thief give him a thumbs up, before pulling out another arrow.

Frederick and Sully were using the armored bodies of their horses to help protect their allies. Together with the help of Kellam and Kjelle, they struck down anyone that tried to approach them. Although they were able to overpower most of the Grimleal, there were a few muscular axemen that gave them a tough time.

Although they couldn't be pushed back, these axemen couldn't break through either. Morgan and Yarne, who had been looking for an opportunity, quickly closed in. The head of one Plegian Warrior was knocked off by a powerful kick from Yarne's hind legs, while Morgan swiftly cut through two more Warriors. Their equipment focused on attacking and freedom of movement, which left most of their bodies unprotected. Epilogue, which was able to cut through most metals like butter, easily slashed through their flesh.

In the air, Cherche, Gerome, Cynthia and Cordelia had formed a square around Sumia, who was carrying Miriel. The two airborne mages rained magic down onto the back of Grima. Although the dragon itself didn't even feel their attacks, the Grimleal hit by them screamed out in pain and anguish. Due to the continued bombardment, the Grimleal also began proceeding with caution, buying the shepherds situated on the back of the Fell Dragon some time between each of the continued Grimleal assaults.

Many Wyvern Lords tried to eliminate Sumia, but she was protected from all sides by the shepherds' own airborne units. The Plegian Wyverns could not break past them fast enough, and were quickly shot down by arrows and Ricken's wind magic.

Robin also saw Lucina darting around the battlefield, defeating enemy after enemy with vigor. The only thing that seemed to matter to her was killing the Grimleal that was directly in front of her, and none of them could keep up with her, especially with all the adrenaline flowing through her body. She methodically slashed her way through every opponent, and none of them could stand against the sharpness of her Falchion.

"How is it?" Chrom finally found an opportunity to talk to him. "Similar to how you would have arranged us?"

"It's… really good." Robin admitted. "Did you plan it?"

"I wish." Chrom chuckled. "This was your daughter's doing."

"Morgan!?" Robin asked.

"Like father, like daughter, I suppose." Chrom shrugged. "I thought she did a pretty good job, but to hear you say it is something else."

"She's very talented." Robin nodded. "Maybe she'll take over for me someday."

"There's… so many of them…" Lon'qu panted as he took down an enemy Swordmaster. In doing so, he also interrupted Robin's slightly somber attitude.

"Yeah… I'm not actually certain who will come out on top at this rate." Robin furrowed his brows. "There are only so many shepherds. Even if we kill most of them, we'll still lose if we can't defeat Grima in the end."

"So do you have a plan to thin out their numbers?" Chrom asked.

"It's too difficult for us to kill them all… at least without sacrifices, or at the very minimum, tiring ourselves out." Robin began. "We might not have enough energy to be able to kill Grima when all of this clears up."

"Then… don't tell me… you're giving up?" Chrom asked incredulously.

"Of course not." Robin quickly replied. "We just have to come up with a shortcut."

"Short cut?" Chrom asked.

"We don't necessarily have to kill all of Grima's followers." Robin explained. "It's just as good if we can simply get them out of our way..."

"Get them out of the way without killing them?" Chrom asked with a puzzled expression. "How do you suggest we do that? Ask them politely?"

"Ideally, yes, but I get the feeling we won't get through to them." Robin pointed at his feet. "Have you realized how far up we are?"

"Well of course. Everyone is very careful not to…" A sudden look of realization appeared across Chrom's face. "Don't tell me you mean…"

"Let's find out how long it takes for someone to fall to the ground from this height." Robin smiled mischievously.

**Nearby…**

Ricken was busy casting spells, throwing them out with extreme efficiency. One moment he was casting Bolganone towards a group of charging Grimleal… one moment he was blasting a Wyvern out of the sky with Rexcalibur…

"Ricken!" The familiar voice of Robin yelled from across the battlefield. Ricken immediately gave him his utmost attention. "Cast Rexcalibur at me!"

"At you?" Ricken seemed confused, but still obliged.

Just when the spell was about to hit Robin, their tactician nimbly tumbled out of the way. As a result, the wind magic flew past him and hit a couple of Grimleal instead. They were immediately sent flying, but instead of merely falling down, the angle at which they were hit caused them to fall directly off the side of the dragon.

Feeling awfully satisfied, Robin turned and gave Ricken a thumbs up. "Good. Just like that."

Immediately understanding Robin's purpose, Ricken began aiming his powerful wind magic at the units on the ground. Instead of hitting the Grimleal directly in front of him, which would only knock the Grimleal backwards, Ricken began to knock off the Grimleal near the sides of the dragon by directly blowing them away.

At first, not everyone caught on to what was happening. But by Ricken's 6th successful attempt (and Chrom's unorthodox shoving of his opponents) many of the shepherds understood what was going on.

The shepherds reliant on strength began to use it to shove the Grimleal away whenever possible, and magic users began to use wind magic more frequently, which resulted in many Grimleal being flying off the side of the dragon. Cherche even had a smile on her face as Minerva repeatedly grabbed their enemies in her claws only to fling them off Grima's back and towards the ground.

Even the Grimleal that resisted weren't so lucky. The more muscular Plegians pushed back on the shepherds, but in doing so, they became easy pickings for the more nimble shepherds. Virion and Gaius had an easy time sniping down what essentially were stationary targets, while Lon'qu and Olivia found it much easier to slash up their opponents if they did not have to worry about dodging.

Not everything was perfect for the shepherds. In order to kill some of the Grimleal, the shepherds had to reach their backside, putting themselves between a Grimleal and the edge of Grima's body. When Anna did just that, the Plegian Warrior in her sights lost the deadlock, and knocked her off the side of the dragon as well.

"This is the end. This is the end. This is the end…" Anna repeatedly muttered as she shut her eyes. She felt an unfamiliar sensation, and when she opened her eyes, she found that she had been pulled atop a pegasus.

"I've gotcha! Don't worry about it!" Cynthia turned around and made a 'V' with her fingers at the flabbergasted Anna.

"Thanks…" Anna breathed a sigh of relief as she was dropped off onto the shepherds side once again.

This strategy worked out quite well for a few moments before the Grimleal began to grow wary of it. However, their numbers had been thinned out extremely quickly, and they no longer held an overwhelming advantage after the shepherds managed to cheat their way through the battle.

Against the shepherds, the Grimleal had no hope of ever winning as soon as they lost their numbers advantage. Soon, the shepherds were alone on top of the dragon's back.

"Give up Grima." Chrom brandished his Falchion at Grima-Robin. "It's over."

"Pathetic humans..." Grima-Robin muttered to himself. "So they were useless after all. But no matter. I shall have to take care of you myself!"

Grima-Robin snapped his fingers, and the draconic head of Grima twisted backwards until it was facing the shepherds. Out of the maw of the giant beast, the breath of ruin spewed forward, engulfing the shepherds.

Grima-Robin chuckled at his absolute victory. However, when the dust settled, the shepherds were all still alive, protected by a translucent blue-green barrier.

"Even now, you stand in my way!" Grima-Robin snarled. "Why can't you just give up? Your power can not even compare to mine in that pathetic state of yours."

Tiki simply ignored him and continued channeling the barrier.

"Children, I cannot keep this up for much longer." Naga's voice resonated within the barrier. "With the Grimleal dead, we only need the person tasked with slaying Grima to stay. I'll enchant a smaller barrier around them for protection, and take everyone else back to land."

"Please take care of them while I finish this." Chrom immediately nodded.

"No… please…" Robin gripped Chrom's arm. "Let me."

"No!" Lucina and Chrom protested at the same time.

"It's too risky." Chrom shook his head. "Even if you can get rid of him for good, we still might lose you as well."

"But think of what it would mean… future generations will never have to deal with his reign of terror ever again." Robin countered. "If I can truly kill him, I think my life would be worth the thousands… perhaps millions that I might save!"

"Then what about us!?" Lucina asked. "We need you too! I need you!"

"Of course, I might not die." Robin chuckled. "Don't worry. There's a chance that I'll come out just fine."

"You're willing to stake your life on just a chance?" Lissa asked dubiously. "That doesn't seem very calculated to me."

"Let me, Robin." Chrom pleaded. "We've all made enough sacrifices. Isn't saving the world from destruction enough? Don't make us lose more than we have to."

"Think about Emmeryn's sacrifice." Robin countered. "This would be the right thing to do."

"But Emm would never have asked you to do something like this!" Lissa protested.

"Correct." Robin agreed. "And you would've never asked Emmeryn to sacrifice herself either. Yet she did it anyway for the good of the people."

"Why can't you just be selfish this one time?" Lucina begged. "Please…"

"Children… I hate to rush you, but please make a decision soon…" Naga's voice sounded strained for the first time.

"There's something in my decision for me as well… there is a chance, if I live, that I will no longer be burdened by the chains of Grima. I'll be free from his grasp for good… at least, that is what I hope." Robin took one of Lucina's hands in his left, and procured a small box from his cloak. "This was something that I had gotten for you… I want you to keep it. It's my promise that I'll come back to you."

Lucina cautiously peeked inside the box, and the sight of what was inside caused her legs to give out. Cynthia and Brady immediately rushed to her side to make sure she was fine.

"I'll do it." Robin finally declared authoritatively.

"Fine." Chrom sighed in defeat. He gave Robin's shoulder a light punch. "But you'd better remember your promise. I won't forgive you if you break it!"

"You can count on it." Robin gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Has the decision been made?" Naga asked.

"Yes." Robin nodded. "Please send the rest of them to safety."

"Very well." Tiki's lips curved into a small smile, and then began to chant something different.

Moments later, all of the shepherds had teleported back to the ground, leaving only Robin on the back of Grima. Around him, just mere millimeters above his skin, was the same translucent blue-green light as before.

"You die today." Robin raised his weapon and pointed it at his look-alike. He slowly began to move towards Grima-Robin.

"Kill him!" A shred of concern appeared in Grima-Robin's voice, as Grima's breath of ruin repeatedly failed to harm his aggressor. After all, he was rooted to the spot, and without any weapons to boot.

"No!" Grima-Robin was in a full blown panic by the time Robin was within range of him. "You wouldn't! You wouldn't kill yourself!"

"I'm not killing myself." Robin retorted. "I'm killing YOU. Now die!"

Robin swung Naglrath upwards, piercing the chest of Grima-Robin, with the blade exiting his back. Grima-Robin desperately tried to pull the blade out with his bare hands, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Meanwhile, Robin continued to force the blade forward. Despite clutching the handle of the weapon, blood dripped down from his hands, and a trickle of the crimson liquid flowed down from the side of his mouth.

"Now… you've done it." Grima-Robin croaked. "You've spelled the end for both of us!"

"No…" Robin panted as his vision began to turn dark. "Just… you…."

**Meanwhile…**

Lucina sat on the ground teary eyed. She, along with all of the other shepherds, gazed towards the sky. Suddenly, Grima's body turned limp and began falling towards the ground. During this period, as if sand being blown away by the wind, the body of the great dragon began to crumble into dust, until eventually nothing was left. It was only after they confirmed that nothing had even hit the ground before Lucina actually began to cry. They had averted her disastrous future, and yet she did not feel like celebrating at all.

"The war has ended." Chrom sighed. "I owe all of you far more than words can ever repay… especially Robin, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the good of everyone."

Seeing as everyone was in a somber mood, Chrom felt like he needed to add something. "Remember… as long as our bonds are strong enough, Robin is able to come back to us."

"But… he disappeared as well…" Lucina sobbed.

"Fear not…" Tiki said with a strained voice. "Robin's body was destined to disappear along with the Fell Dragon. However, he'll be back as long as his soul can return from the spirit realm."

After saying her piece, the body of Tiki finally gave out, leaving a peacefully sleeping Manakete.

"Y-you're right!" Lissa clenched her fists. "He'll be out there somewhere! We'll find him, even if we have to search every stupid field in this whole stupid world!"

"I believe the same as well, milady." Frederick voiced his opinion. "Robin is too strong to simply disappear. It falls upon us to take care of the realm and the peace Robin has given us… until he comes back."

"He'd BETTER come back!" Sully exclaimed. "If that damned dragon really got the last of him, I'll be the one breathin' fire!"

"...he lives." Lon'qu plainly said. "I know it. Some people are just not the dying sort."

"You're right." Chrom agreed. "Robin has secured for all of us the most precious gift of all: the future. Now it falls upon the rest of us to protect what we have been given. I vow to give my all towards healing the wounds this war was wrought upon our realm. When he returns, I want Robin to be able to see all of the goodness his sacrifice has brought. Robin… if you're out there and can hear me… I want you to know that you'll always have a place here with us. Always."

After a few more moments of grieving, the shepherds all began to pick themselves up one by one. Though Grima had been defeated, there was still much work to be done…

**Spirit Realm…**

When Robin opened his eyes, he saw the familiar sight of the realm between life and death. A purple gate among the green landscape stood in front of him.

"What… am I here again?"

"Indeed." The soothing voice of Naga reached his ears. Robin turned around to see Naga trailed by 3 blackish-purple figures, all bound in strands of green light. The first was a somewhat elderly man with gentle eyes and a soft smile. The second appeared to be a floating robe… or rather… an invisible person wearing a hooded robe. The third was simply a ball of chaotic energy that struggled restlessly against its bonds.

"That's…"

"The three parts of Grima." Naga nodded. "Do not be surprised. When you made the decision to drive your weapon through Grima, someone had to die. Now it's time for you to decide who."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"In order to kill Grima, we just have to kill one of his three parts." Naga explained. "Without all three, the two that are left cannot be considered the same entity. The two remaining parts will then fuse with you, allowing for your return to the material world. Consequently, you could jump through that rift yourself, but that would allow Grima to return to the world above, and I highly doubt you would want that."

"Could I just choose to throw all three parts in?" Robin asked.

"Yes, but then there would be no return for you either." The elderly man replied. "As a mortal, you are already dead. Only by returning with two parts of Grima can you be successfully resurrected."

"I see…" Robin sighed. "Since I promised I'll go back, I guess this isn't an option."

"He's right." Naga nodded. "However, do not be hasty. Not all parts of Grima are evil."

She gestured to the eldery man. "The consciousness of Grima is surprisingly innocent. All of Grima's decisions… his choices… his needs… his wants… none of them are up to him to decide. He is just the vessel that communicates with others."

"Sort of like Tiki then?" Robin asked.

"Sort of." Naga agreed. "Yet… slightly different as well."

She gestured to the robe. "The power of Grima is also innocent. Although it is the power of death of destruction, this power is still needed in order to preserve the balance of the world. By itself, this power is not inherently evil."

Finally, Naga reached the struggling ball of matter. "And finally, this is the will of Grima… this is the driving factor behind his decisions. Grima's goal of the destruction of the world is naturally its brainchild."

"Then the choice is rather obvious." Robin shrugged. "I'll just send the third one to go die."

"An excellent choice." Naga gave a sweet smile and threw the protesting ball of energy across the purple rift door.

"So… that means I can resurrect with the other two parts of Grima?"

"Yes." The elderly man rubbed his sore wrists as he was freed from the green strands of light. "Grima's knowledge… Grima's power… you will inherit them both. However… without his will, the two of us will be unable to do anything by ourselves. We simply exist, but we lack a purpose by ourselves."

The robe nodded its hood in agreement.

"In other words, they will follow yours." Naga explained. "If you possess pure intentions, you may be able to make the world a better place with their help."

The two remaining parts of Grima looked at each other and nodded. Then they disappeared into Robin's shadow and melded with him. Robin felt an intense jolt of power running through his veins, and aeons of knowledge began flooding into his brain.

"You're awake?" Naga asked when Robin regained his senses.

"Huh?" Robin asked, still slightly light headed.

"Good." Naga gave him a sincere smile. "From this day forward, we'll be colleagues then."

She reached out her hands to Robin's and shook them.

"That being said… can I ask you for a favor?"

"What is it?" Robin asked, rubbing the grogginess away from his eyes.

"It's simple really… Now that Ylisse no longer needs to worry about impending danger, we can shift our focus to other regions in need of help. In fact, I can detect an evil plot brewing even as we speak." Naga sighed. "While I know you want to head back to your friends as soon as possible, could I trouble you to adjust the destination of your resurrection? You can return as soon as the issue is resolved. This part… I think it shouldn't take too long."

"Um… I don't mind. But…" Robin scratched his head. "What do you mean by adjusting my destination? I have no idea how to do that."

"No worries, no worries." Naga smiled. "You are my junior after all, there's no reason to think you'd understand all the intricate details of the divine realm, even with the help of Grima. I'll help you with it. Since I do not have a suitable body to reside in the mortal world, I can only watch from here. But now with you, things are different. If we work together, we can make the world a better place."

"That… sounds pretty nice actually." Robin agreed. "All right. I'll do it."

"Perfect… I'll send you to the appropriate location right now." Naga placed her hand over Robin's eyes and began to chant. Robin soon lost consciousness.

**Unknown Location…**

Robin felt his eyes begin to flicker open.

"Are you awake?" A gentle female voice called to him.

Robin opened his eyes to see a girl with green hair and green eyes greet him.

"I found you unconscious on the plains." she explained. "I am Lyn, of the Lorca Tribe. What is your name?"

**Author's Notes…**

**It has been quite a while since my last post, and I am sorry that it took so long. However, please bear with me. This semester has been significantly more busy for me, as my classes are harder and I've also been working for longer. My plan was to get this chapter done and to wrap up the story during spring recess, but that could not be done due to COVID 19… I had to move everything back from campus and adjust to learning from home, etc. **

**That being said, this is the final chapter of this story. It has been quite a journey, and I must thank all of you readers for, well, reading my story. However, as implied by the ending, there will be a sequel. Fire Emblem fans can probably see where this is going. I am not certain when I will begin posting chapters of this next story, so make sure to follow me if you don't want to miss it.**

**Hopefully I will see you all in my next story. Until then, take care and stay safe!**


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